Family Business
by Karel Stein-Adler
Summary: What could happen between Nick's second return through the mirror and Kelly's drawing into Grimm book? Here is one potential story... I allowed YamiYugiYuki to rewrite stories I published, she agreed to change into better readable language with necessary changes of story.
1. Chapter 1 - Chronoclasm

Family Business

Karel_Stein_Adler

Summary:

What could happen between Nick's second return through the mirror and Kelly's drawing into Grimm book?  
Here is one potentional story...

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Grimm – Fanfiction – The Family Business

Chapter 1 – Chronoclasm

Time – in the moment after Nick hugged everybody, who was unable to escape in time and explained them (incorrectly), how happy is he with having them all around…

Just after his a bit questionable explanation Diana turned to him again and with her ringing voice almost ordered him:

"Tell them!"

"Tell us what?" asked Sean Renard, a bit unsure, what to expect.

Big strange wooden rod asked for some really good story about. Especially once Adalind has no ring on her left ring finger and Diana has no stick, however it was Nick's mysterious one, what opened the 'flight window' for Nick's and Eve's return to our (maybe possible to say 'normal'?) world…

"This piece of sawlog was owned by somebody, maybe rather something, named Zerstörer Shrugged," explained Nick.

"Destroyer," nodded Monroe.

"Yup, literally so," agreed Nick. "I came through this mirror back several hours ago and Zerstörer came through another mirror and kept killing till he came to our precinct, where I was the only one, who remained alive there. No bullet made any harm to him."

"That could explain, why you were so weird," said Wu. "Too weird, even for you, in fact…"

"We tried to make an potion, named Force du Sang, 'the strength of one's blood'."

"Did we?" asked Adalind. "Really? Yea, with you as Grimm it could be possible, but… Ah so, me or Eve as Hexenbiest and Monroe or Rosalee as wesen."

"Well, it was with Monroe. But Eve returned first time without her powers and Zerstörer killed her in 'Spice and Tea'," even now it was not easy to comment ravages of evil entity destroying his dearests.

"And how did it work?" asked Rosalee.

"It worked like acid on his skin, but he healed again," answered Nick. "He killed all of you here, with exception of Hank and Wu, killed on precinct before and always with exception of me. That stick we found with Monroe in Black Forest was part of this crook," showed Nick the place. Zerstörer needed it really badly, but he couldn't just take it, he needed to obtain it 'voluntarily'. So he demonstrated, that he was able to return back from death Trubel and offered, he would return all killed in exchange for a stick."

"Seems, you didn't accept," nodded Sean Renard.

"I almost did it," frowned Nick. "But my mother and my aunt both returned back from death for a moment and helped us to defeat that Zerstörer and to kill him."

"But how is it possible, you returned before the time it happened?" asked captain.

"I'm not so sure," shrugged Nick his shoulders. "I was thinking about using that rod to return people back from death, but portal opened and 'sucked' me out of there, just a moment later, when I removed that Bonaparte's ring from Adalind's dead hand."

"Nick!" screamed Diana. "That's it! We must be there before sunset and you must destroy that ring, not only remove it!"

"Be where?" asked Sean Renard.

"To that cabin, where we with Hank caught that Blutbad and you returned me the key," explained Nick. "I hoped, it could be anonymous place, not connected with me, but he felt that stick I had."

They came in quite a convoy of cars. As Nick parked aside, others did the same.

Nick observed three cars, transparent in half. Jerk of others showed him, they observe the same.

"Do you see these car?" asked anyway.

"Like if it something, what in same time is and is not here…" answered Adalind. "This place looked creepy. Possibly because what you told to us."

But she almost screamed, seeing her own dead body lying in mud and other corpses. They all observed robust man with that strange rod. From bushes came Nick, also almost transparent, in company of two women. A few moments later Trubel came too, hurrying to Nick and trying argue.

Nick showed his stick and told something. It was not hearable, till Zerstörer said hoarsely:

"Give it to me!"

Nick dropped stick into mud:

"Come and get it!"

Battle was cruel and it was pretty evident, without help oh Nick's ancestors both Grimms alive would hardly do it…

Finally Nick stood against Zerstörer whose right arm was chopped off. Zerstörer's crook was in his hands and stick jumped itself on its place…

"You wanted it? Here it is!"

Nick stabbed Zerstörer with rod into chest. After observing short debate over his carcass were observers surprised by voice of Kelly Burkhardt, mother of Nick and grandmother of Kelly junior:

"Soon it will be, Nicky," said with surprisingly soft tone. "By the way, in my times it was more usual to merry woman you have baby with."

"In my times couple between Grimm and Hexenbiest was something unthinkable," said Marie Kessler. "But she approved herself."

Kelly Burkhardt senior turned to Sean Renard:

"We need to talk!"

"Sure, what would you need?" captain was not upset by demanding tone or at least did not allow himself to show so.

All onlookers divided their attention between observing Nick getting ring away from Adalind's dead hand and debate between granny Grimm and illegitimate royal prince.

"Well, contact your family in Wien," ordered Kelly Burkhardt senior. "Explain them, another attack on Grimms anywhere would lead to their eradication. Our offer is neutrality and we could negotiate in case of hunt for individual fugitives. But murder of any other Grimm would mean, we would totally finish the family responsible for it, up to youngest kid."

"Trust us," said Marie Kessler. "We did it, in history. However not royal families yet."

"I know," nodded Sean Renard. "I'll do my best to explain that."

"Fine," nodded Nick. "Captain, Adalind will be with me and with my son, but your daughter should be in Joint Custody. Maybe try to find new female partner. You have extremely small chance for throne yourself, but your son could have better start position."

"Or daughter," told Diana and her eyes became purple shining. "Is Wien nice place?"

"Worth to visit," nodded Sean Renard. "But later, first I need to build up some base of power in Wien. Before having it I'm not going to risk moving you there."

"Care for yourself," nodded Kelly Burkhardt senior. "By the way, now will be right moment to destroy that ring."

Nick observed himself flying through portal and once portal closed and disappeared, everything, what was not from right time disappeared, with exception of ring. Also both deceased Grimms left.

Observing ring, Nick thought a little bit. He almost touched the ring with rod and wished it to be destroyed. Small plume of black fume left it and gold melted into something similar to old-fashioned dental inlay. Stones started to fire in flames.

"Bad spell is away," said Diana. "OK, I want to go sleep."

XXXXXXX

Captain agreed Nick, Hank and Wu to take that day off work.

"If there is no wesen related crime, you can use that day. In other case your day off is cancelled."

Being just three of them, Nick left that strange crook in his car.

"Don't you worry somebody would steal such a powerful stuff?" asked Wu.

"I don't think so," shook Nick his head. "It could protect itself pretty violent way. By the way, I would wish to make one experiment with that rod."

"What kind of experiment?" asked Hank, evidently mistrustful.

"It was able to return people from death to life," explained Nick. "What if is it also able to recover destroyed paper from dust and ashes."

"You mean," Wu shook his head. "Try to use it in trailer and return books destroyed by Juliette's fire?"

"Exactly," nodded Nick.

"That's something Monroe and Rosalee would also wish to see," said Hank. "But probably do not tell others, except for Adalind or Trubel."

As Adalind, as well as Trubel were both in spice shop, it was easy to convince them to go and see Nick's 'magic game experiment'.

Diana slept all the way till they came to trailer. They took all remains of books they first time moved from destroyed trailer into spice shop basement and placed it into devastated trailer. Nick touched one destroyed book and everything around him flied in stirring carousel of flames and dust. Once it disappeared, he trailer looked as new, as it was when it left the factory. On tables and on floor were books almost everywhere.

"She looks like you, mom!" said Diana, once she opened, ostensibly random book and showed them hand-made illustration of Hexenbiest…

TO BE CONTINUED…  
MAYBE…


	2. Chapter 2 - My House is My Castle

Chapter 2 – My House is My Castle

"What will you do with that rod?" asked Monroe. "Seems be really powerful."

"I'll better place it here," answered Nick and placed rod into weaponry cupboard in trailer. "That's kind of absolute powers. Each power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Adalind, are you able to do an spell or something, that would prevent unauthorized access here?"

"I could," smiled Diana and made classic 'AbracaDabra' moves with her hands.

Strange light erupted from her fingers and diffused to surroundings.

"Now only us or our invited guests could go here and enter in," said strange girl…

XXXXXXX

"Bud, may we come to you today with Adalind and children?" called Nick to his Eisbiber friend. "I possibly have a contract for you."

"Sure, but, Nick, my wife is here," Bud sounded unsure. "Adalind and children? Nick, that belly of her did not look so…"

"Bud, I mean also with her first child," explained Nick. "Maybe I should be sorry her daughter is not my own too."

"OK, OK Nick!" Bud changed in second into enthusiastic. "Phoebe would love to have somebody else to speak with."

"What are you organizing?" asked Adalind. "What's up?"

"I guess, our lodge needs to be improved, ideally to that level, so each child will have own room," answered Nick. "I believe, you remember Bud?"

"Off course I remember him," Adalind smiled, remembering slightly confused Eisbiber. "But he repairs refrigerators, doesn't he?"

"Yup," Nick smiled wide. "But he knows people who know people and he's more than able explain them, how wise it would be to offer good price for a well-done work."

"Are you going to abuse your being a Grimm?"

"Maybe use," Nick nodded. "I'll pay a fair price, but we would need some extra works to be done silently, off records. And Bud can recommend us whom to ask and he would ask them not to cheat on us."

"Can I go there with Diana and Kelly?"

"Bud would be happy," Nick nodded again. "He and his wife are long time together. I guess, he would appreciate, if his wife would divide her attention also to other persons."

"That sounds pretty cynical," accused him Adalind. "What should we tell them?"

"Chose yourself," Nick shook his head. "Common conversation is something I was never good in."

"I can easily imagine," Adalinf looked on him seriously. "You are better, than I expected, once asked for your protection, but your conversational ability, if it doesn't concern somebody's violent death, is really limited. And Diana is pretty able to steal all the attention."

"Fine, so let's go!"

Nick had a think for a moment, than he looked on Adalind.

"What?" she asked seeing his pensive face.

"Would you wish to marry me, now, once we succeeded and won?" asked Nick a question.

"Is it a proposal or just a question?" asked Adalind carefully.

"Well, I would wish it to be a proposal, but we are in hurry a bit now, I have no ring to offer right here and with our history together…"

"Yes, our history…" nodded Adalind. "I guess, with our history this is the best I could expect from you. So yes, we just need to arrange details. I'm able to be pragmatic enough," she gave a sigh. "I know, we have only low chance for fairy-tale 'and they lived happily ever after' end. Rather for brothers Grimm ending…"

"Good, so we could go to jewelry shop together," Nick felt alleviation. "You will chose, what ring you would love to have and we'll arrange other details."

"Once you wish to rebuilt that loft, we'll need more money, than we have right now," Adalind was as almost always pragmatic. "And I know, whom to ask for finance aid."

"Whom?" Nick was curious. "Should I use my Grimm eyes or violence will be necessary?"

"Could be," nodded Adalind. "I wish to get a payback from Harrison Berman. He introduced to me Conrad Bonaparte and I believe, he knows a lot about Black Claw. Maybe you should invite for interview with him also Eve and Trubel."

"Sounds like a plan for funny afternoon," smiled Nick. "How much could he hold dear his life?"

XXXXXXX

"Bud was so secretive, once he explain, you are to come for a visit," slowly eldering Phoebe Wurstner invited them in. "So I decided I must invite you first."

"Adalind Schade, soon Adalind Burkhardt," her smile was wide. "Really a pleasure to meet you."

Nick wished to know, in what extent it really was a pleasure and in what extent it was sociable hypocrisy. But he dug from the deepest a smile on his own face. He kept crib with Kelly and Diana kept her mother's right hand on herself.

"Nick Burkhardt," nodded. "Nice to meet you, Bud speaks about you quite often."

"I could imagine," Phoebe half-closed her eyes, observing him. "About you he did not speak a lot, about your future wife even nothing at all."

She turned:

"Bud Wurstner! Come here! Now!"

Then she turned to guests.

"So, you will be soon married," nodded. "I remember you from Rosalee Calvert and Monroe wedding, you were his best man!"

Her face turned to smile a bit.

"But there was an problem, as I remember," she frowned.

"Well, problems could be," Diana's voice was ringing a bit too loudly. "Mum is Hexenbiest and Nick is a Grimm."

When Bud hurried to entrance door, he found his wife woged and scared a bit and observed also quickly dewoging Hexenbiest.

"You never told me, he's a Grimm!" Phoebe almost shrieked to her husband. "Grimm in our house. I should pray to Lord, to stay us all alive."

"I'm not that kind of Grimm!" defended Nick himself.

Finally that meeting was not such a fiasco. Diana was enchanting in many sense of that word. Adalind and Phoebe found many points to debate about, especially concerning raising children.

"So they stole your daughter from you?" Bud's wife was shocked. "Is it her?" showed on Diana. "She looks like a real princess."

"It's because I AM real princess!" explained Diana. "My daddy is prince, however he will be never king after his father."

"That girl has really a fantasy!" said Phoebe.

"Unfortunately it's true," said Adalind. "Sean Renard really is illegitimate son of dead king Frederick Renard. Diana's grandfather was one of reasons, why they decided to take her from me."

"I was with grandpa when Martin decided to let him fly," smiled Diana.

"WHAT?!" Bud's wife was shocked again.

"Member of Laufer Martin Meisner dropped king from helicopter, when king tried to escape from Portland with Diana," said Adalind. "Martin was later murdered by Black Claw."

"Quite a sad story," said Phoebe. "So now you and Sean Renard will raise Diana what way? She seems to be powerful girl in future."

"Not in future," said Diana and with few moves of fingers she let levitate tray with cakes and forks were orbiting around it.

"Diana," said Adalind with a false soft tone. "What I told you about levitating sharp things?"

"To use it only in self-defense or during practicing self-defense," said Diana with half-apologetic tone and let forks 'land' on table on place she moved them off.

"Good girl!" said Adalind. "She is in Joint Custody with Sean. She must spend some time with her father too, but he tends to mollycoddle her."

"That almost all fathers tend to do," nodded Phoebe. "Bud always said he never do it, but without my proper leading our children would be spoiled."

Nick had problems not to laugh loudly.

Phoebe shot a glance to him:

"I'm curious, how YOU will raise YOUR son Kelly. Grimms are hardly really different in it. Will Kelly be a Grimm, Zauberbiest or some combination of both?"

Nick shrugged his shoulders:

"I could do my best, off course. According Grimm books Kelly is first child of such origin. So no idea, what will he be. And in our family it was usually women, who were strong. When my father was murdered and as I believed together with my mother, I was raised by my aunt Marie Kessler. Only later I learned, how to be a Grimm. Nobody was sure, whether I am or I am not one. And we moved a lot, probably my aunt wanted to avoid our being traced and killed."

After this a short time of silence appeared.

"Nick, what EXACTLY would you need from me?" asked Bud. "I'm proud to be your friend, but I do not get well, what you are asking."

"Well Bud, you told me, lot of construction firms here are owned by Eisbibers. I believe, you know almost everybody in local Eisbiber community…"

"And with everybody from them you drink a lot of beer," added Bud's wife.

"So you know, whom to ask, if I need my new place to be rebuilt into some kind of fortress. And you could organize them, so not all plans will be in City Planning Commission," continued Nick. "As you will act as Site Manager, you will be also paid as Site Manager. I believe, nobody of them would allow cheat on you."

"They will not," nodded Bud. "So Site Manger in building home for a Grimm… Sounds great."

"You'll have to drink less beer," teased him Phoebe. "Not to fall somewhere…"

"OK," bantered Nick. "So I'll go to behead some bad guys to accumulate funds for building."

Moment of dumfounded silence explained him, his joke was not accepted so well…

"I was only joking," defeated Nick himself.

"Nick, that's what we all here know, but, with Grimms and wesens, maybe better do not joke such a way too often," said Adalind with serious tone.

Nick made woebegone face, what made Adalind and Diana to laugh.

"So I believe, we made a deal," said Adalind to Bud. "Your wife is great, you must be really lucky being with her."

"Yup, I really must," said Bud very silently murmuring…

XXXXXXX

"How much will we need?" asked Nick to Adalind. "Is there any spell or so to predict it?"

"Trust me, most of predicting spells are total crap," answered Adalind. "I guess, a bit more, than usual house here costs, as you need improved safety, it means more expensive materials, better equipment and so on. The only we have now is a place to be totally converted. I will ask one million from Berman tomorrow, just to get payback for his friend Bonaparte…"

"I'm really glad, you are now on my side," said Nick and hugged her, attempting to kiss.

"Could you two let it for time I'll have my own room?" asked Diana with overacting hurt tone…

XXXXXXX

"Trubel, may I ask you for favor?" asked Nick.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I'll need tomorrow interrogate one wesen lawyer," explained Nick. "Ask also Eve, she has remarkable success in interrogating of uncooperative wesens. He could have info also about Black Claw, but I want him to pay for forcing Adalind to leave me. He was one of responsible persons."

"Fine," answered Trubel. "I'll ask Eve. I guess, it's about Harrison Berman. We studied that office in HW. They have not bad system of security video footage. We would need also Wu, he could do our IT backup."

"Good to know," said Nick. "Calling him."

"By the way Nick," continued Trubel. "Josh is here in Portland. We decided to marry. If you wish to marry Adalind, we could do it together."

"Sounds interesting," agreed Nick. "I'll ask Adalind, how does she look for that."

"How Adalind does look for what?" asked Adalind, hearing him.

"Trubel and Josh decided to marry," said Nick. "She offered me to do both weddings together."

"Nick, give her to me!" demanded Adalind. "I'll discuss it rather with her. Go and prepare instruments of torture or something for tomorrow."

"Nick, we should talk," said him Diana.

Nick was a bit unsure, what to expect. Girl showed him to go aside.

"Yes, Diana?"

"Nick, if you marry my mum, could I tell you dad?" asked young witch.

"Do you really wish so, wouldn't it be confusing with Sean Renard?" asked surprised Grimm.

"Daddy I'll also name dad, where's the problem?" asked Diana with innocent face. "Could I go for your playdate tomorrow with you? I want to have some fun."

"Ask mum, but I'd say yes," answered Nick.

He imagined, extra-super-mega-powerful Hexenbiest could be argument hard to beat…

XXXXXXX

"Wu," called Nick, finally with his phone again.

The phone was still warm because of Adalind kept it on her ear for a pretty long time…

"Hi Nick, what's up?"

"May I ask you for favor tomorrow? It's out of badge action with wesen lawyers?"

"Just tell me, please. It's not breaking into Berman, Rautbort Law, is it?"

When Nick remained silent, Wu continued:

"Crap! You are going to break into there!"

TO BE CONTINUED…  
ONE SUITABLE DAY…


	3. Chapter 3 - Liar for Hire

Chapter 3 – Liar for Hire

Now Wu remained silent for a while.

"OK, Nick, you want your revenge. But I would need some info about their system to prepare necessary programs for it."

"Trubel said, HW studied that firm, as being owned by wesens."

"That's better. I'll ask her for schemes and so on. I have almost genial idea about our alibi for tomorrow – I believe, you remember deputy sheriff Farris?"

"Janelle Farris?" asked Nick.

"Yup," agreed Wu. "She asked me for help solving one murder and as I'm almost genius, I solved it myself. She agreed to help in case we would need to help with something, creating unofficial investigation of mysterious case included."

"So you made a real impression for sure," answered Nick. "Sounds like a great idea. We would be officially out of phone signal…"

"Yea, I'll speak with her tomorrow morning too. But first of all, calling Trubel."

XXXXXXX

"So, how we do it?" asked Adalind in morning.

"You and kids will come to precinct to pick me up. Wu created good plan – we'll officially go into middle of nowhere, out of phone signal. So nobody would ask strange question not finding our phones on. Wu will take care for security footage – no footage and no witness of our being in your law office – nobody should ask unwanted questions."

"You became almost too good in grey zone of justice," shook Adalind her head.

"I had to," nodded Nick. "I'd prefer just normally live, but once it's not possible, I want you with me and both children. Berman has to pay, but on other hand, we need him to stay as your official boss. So we'll offer him your services as Hexenbiest, only much more expensive way."

"To prevent suspicion of him being blackmailed," nodded Adalind. "Clever. Maybe I should offer him a small 'extramural' office here for very special clients of firm. That would explain fortification of this place and extra costs…"

Nick hugged her:

"I'm so happy you cheat now for us, not against me."

Adalind hugged him back and laughed.

XXXXXXX

"Hank, may I ask you for favor?" Nick was careful.

"What's up?" detective Griffin was suspicious a bit.

"Officially we'll be on Native American's territory," said Wu. "I just spoke with captain. He caught, it's a sham, but he's good with it, as long as it would not burst open. In such a case we cannot expect for his help or mercy. Here are numbers of our burner phones," he gave Hank a paper with two numbers. "If something happen, call one of those numbers. Better do not give these numbers to anybody, if Monroe, Rosalee or Bud would need something, explain them, it will take a while…"

"So paperwork is on me," said Hank with grimace. "Later I'll need to hear a really good story."

In that time into precinct rusted Adalind with both kids.

"Nick, nice, no murder right now?!" asked. "I'll have a word or two with Sean."

She left Kelly on Nick's desk and rushed with Diana into Renard's office.

"Hi Sean," said with a bit false smile on entry.

"Hi dad!" Diana's smile looked true. "Mum and Nick promised me the nice playdate."

"And uncle Wu will look for you not to be on footage," comprehended captain. "Adalind, don't risk security of our daughter."

"Don't worry dad!" Diana's smile became wider, if not having ears, it would be around her whole head. "I just try some fun like with Grossante."

"Grossante?" Adalind made question mark almost visible.

"Later," promised Sean.

"He's daddy's friend," explained Diana. "He wanted something and he carried me off daddy once. But it was funny to toss with him."

Adalind's eyes promised painful dead.

"Look you!" she quickly became angry. "Now I go to negotiate with one bastard, but maybe I should right the wrongs first with you."

"I'll do my best to cover anything," offered captain with despondent grimace.

"That's better," nodded Adalind. "We'll do our best not to need it."

XXXXXXX

Seeing Renard's grimace, Nick shook his head when leaving:

"He doesn't look happy."

"He has good reason," nodded Adalind with frowning.

Out of precinct they met with Trubel and Eve/Juliette.

Wu had tablet in his hands and showed them map of Berman, Rautbort Law office surroundings:

"We must stop here. It's four block from office, but there's the only place, where are no cameras around and from there we should walk. We'll go with Eve and Trubel as first, as I must be inside of their IT-workroom in time you enter Berman's office to cover everything and to make the security footage look credible as uninfluenced. I worked on proper program during whole night."

"HW could pay you for that program," said Eve/Juliette. "Security footage is often a problem…"

"Great," smirked Wu. "Finally I'll get paid for hacking better, than in police."

"Let's go," decided Nick. "We'll go by your car, Adalind, it's expected to be on parking place of firm."

"So you have time to prepare spells," nodded Eve/Juliette. "I'll use erasing of memory and SEP spell."

"SEP?" asked Adalind.

"Someone Else Problem," smiled second Hexenbiest. "Being influenced by this spell you could recognize things, but you would take no care and you will remember nothing, as your brain things, it's simply not your business…"

Diana heard it with focus.

"You could use 'Dornröschen' spell," said girl.

"What?" asked Eve/Juliette.

"Sleeping Beauty," explained Adalind. "Diana, darling, you could hardly scuttle around office to poke everybody with a poisoned needle or rose on thorny stem."

"Mum, that's version for dinosaur times," rolled Diana her eyes. "You just need to make this kind of magic tissue," showed by moves of her fingers.

"Sorry darling," said Eve/Juliette. "That's out of my abilities."

"Out of mine too," Adalind shook her head.

Wu redressed before leaving precinct into overall with pictogram of integrated circuit and inscription CompITCF, looking like worker of IT hardware supply firm.

Few minutes after leaving precinct, both Nick and Wu switched off their phones and defused even batteries to avoid them being switched on remote way…

XXXXXXX

"Give us five minutes," asked Eve/Juliette. "After then simply go to Berman's office."

Wu looking like IT worker smiled.

Reception clerk looked on trio.

"I was not informed about any IT problem," she said.

Eve/Juliette woged for a moment and made few gesticulations:

"It's not your problem. You never saw us and we are not here."

Reception clerk stayed motionlessly and her eyes looked empty, into her computer working station Wu installed one of his programs. Program did nothing until second program launched from IT workroom send there modified footage.

IT-consultant was spellbound and Wu sat on his chair.

Nick took baby crib with Kelly. Adalind directed Diana into office. Diana made waving gesticulation and lawyers or other working staff members there stayed sitting on chairs with empty face expressions.

The office looked really like from fairy tale 'Sleeping Beauty'…

Nick knocked on Berman's door.

"Yes? Come in!"

Once door opened, Harrison Berman looked on them:

"Adalind, nice to see you. What's up?"

"Mr. Berman, let me introduce Nick Burkhardt, father of my son Kelly."

Nick nodded his head.

Older lawyer observed Nick with suspicion and focus.

"Mr. Berman," said Nick. "I think, we need to talk."

"Yes?"

"You introduced Conrad Bonaparte as important client of firm," said Adalind. "That bastard came to me and told me, that my baby could be taken from me and killed."

"I guess," added Nick. "You knew, who Conrad Bonaparte was and what was his plan. I also believe, you know a lot of information concerning organization known as Black Claw. So you intentionally putted my son and his mother into danger."

Berman woged into Lausenschlange and observed Nick's dark black eyes.

"Grimm?!" lawyer was horror-stricken. "I heard rumors, but I did not believe…"

"Mum," said Diana with annoyed tone of voice. "I'm bored. Is he bad man?"

Young witch did not wait for answer and moved her hand.

Berman levitated and his eyes were opened wide.

"Diana," said Nick. "Remember, he should not left here tracks. So close his stomach to avoid him to vomit and do not touch walls or roof not to left his body imprints."

Girl smiled and made complicated gesticulation. Berman himself looked surprised.

"Diana, he would probably appreciate some shaking and twisting," said Adalind.

After series of complicated movements Berman's body turned upside down and rotated.

Kelly looked on Berman's body, like if it was big rattler…

Trubel and Eve/Juliette entered Berman's private office.

"So have you started with fun without us?" asked Eve/Juliette. "Return him on his chair, I'll show you another fun you could use."

When Berman was placed on his chair, Eve/Juliette connected his hands together by spell-formed new dermal tissue and came to eldering lawyer:

"You chose for wrong allies. Black Claw was eliminated, but there could still be some uncaught members of this group," Eve/Juliette frowned. "What would you tell us voluntarily?"

"That's unforgivable violence! You'll pay for it!"

"Eve, do you know, how you can recognize, that lawyer lies?" asked Trubel.

"Eve?!" said shocked Berman. "That Eve?!"

Eve/Juliette turned to him with a strange smile and nodded. Then turned to Trubel.

"No, how?"

"His lips are moving," answered Grimm girl.

"True," said Eve/Juliette.

"And do you know, what is ten thousands of dead lawyers on sea bottom?"

"Quite a good beginning," growled Berman. "That joke is both old and stupid."

"You don't want to tell us, what we need to know and you dared to interrupt our conversation," said Eve/Juliette emotionless tone. "I didn't let you speak. Not yet. As you probably do not wish to tell me, what I need to know, you will not need your mouth," said and did her best party trick, closing his mouth.

Diana observed spell with great interest. Berman on other hand did purposeless movements of his lower jaw.

"You probably do not want to see me," said Eve/Juliette, closing his eyes.

"Speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil," said Trubel.

"He's Lausenschlange, snake wesen," said Diana. "Means, he can feel voice as vibration by a full surface of his skin."

"Good remark," agreed Eve/Juliette, still with some knowledge as veterinarian. "If he tries to woge, you could shake him in air to block his focus…"

Diana smiled wide and both Adalind and Nick shook themselves by strange cold…

Eve/Juliette closed Berman's ears and Diana moved him to fly again…

XXXXXXX

With enhanced torture methods Eve/Juliette decided to cut Diana's game after some 20 min. Girl did not protest, it looked like Berman became paralyzed or cataleptic.

Eve/Juliette opened his ears:

"Will you talk to us?"

Once older lawyer nodded, Eve/Juliette opened his eyes and mouth.

"Consider it as penalty for threat of my son and Adalind," told him Nick. "Now speak!"

Berman's information was interesting, but he gave in fact only two important names – judge Stancroft and District Attorney Hurtz.

"What are they?" asked Nick.

"Stancroft is Hundjäger and Hurtz is Höllentier," answered Berman.

"Well, that's interesting," agreed Trubel. "Wesen judge and District Attorney, both cooperating with Black Claw…"

Judge Stancroft and DA Hurtz will probably experience interesting times…

XXXXXXX

"Now there is a question of future," said Adalind.

Berman closed his eyes and ducked.

"You said, firm can use Hexenbiest," laughed witch. "With Grimm in tandem we could do some very special contracts for firm and as we just now rebuilt our place, there could be placed extramural office for special clients, not to be observed here…"

Eldering lawyer opened his eyes wide:

"You just came here to torture me and now you are offering cooperation and special favors? Are you mad or what?"

"Mum, he wants to fly again," said Diana's ringing voice. "Maybe fly out of window?"

"No! No! No!" Berman almost screamed. "We for sure can make a deal."

"I also do think so," nodded Nick. "I haven't beheaded any wesen for too long time. Your head could be satisfying."

"But you are policeman, homicide detective!" protested Berman. "You cannot do such things."

"Observe me."

Trubel smiled and passed Nick her machete.

Lawyer closed his eyes. A few seconds later he felt blade titillating under his jawline.

"Here you have wrong shaven place," Nick showed him short hair shaved by machete. "Look, we'll either make some deal, or we'll finish you."

"There will be a lot of evidence against you!" cried Berman.

"None in fact," shook his head Nick. "Nobody in your office will remember us and your footage will be empty, without slightest trace after us. So easy way or hard way?"

"Easy way means, I could use Grimm in some cases?" lawyer recovered quickly.

"Means, Grimm would evaluate case and could be helpful," Nick half-closed his eyes.

"So the end justifies means," nodded Berman. "Something is better, than nothing."

He quieted down for a moment.

"So I should consider it as penalty for wrong choice," he turned to Adalind.

"Harrison, lawyers are named as liars for hire by people," Adalind shook her head. "But never ever any more dare yourself to jeopardize my children, my future husband or any of my friends. Next time you would meet with sharks in ocean, miles away from coastline."

"Who is your future husband?" asked Berman. "Maybe we could do your wedding as firm PR action."

"It's me," said Nick. "Having Grimm on party of wesen owned lawyer firm is hardly good idea."

"True," nodded Berman. "I promise, I would ask for Grimm straightforward solution only in case of really evil bastards. How much will you need from firm as compensation, Adalind?"

"One million dollars plus my normal salary, two hundred thousand cash, the rest will be reckoned as bonus for extra works for special clients."

"Only two hundred thousand cash?" asked lawyer surprised.

"Today, when almost every dime is trackable, higher amounts of money would look suspicious for authorities," shook his head Nick. "Cash money we'll use for payment of special works."

"Sure," nodded Berman. "Works out of records. Firm will pay reasonable part of your rebuilding expenses, but we'll need a contract including, among others, exclusiveness for our firm to use your services for ten years."

"Five years," said Nick.

"Eight," haggled lawyer.

"Six," contra-haggled Nick.

"Seven," finished bargaining Adalind.  
Berman observed his 'visitors' with focus.

"I believe, finally I could offer to each of you enough to work for me. Your interrogation method is undoubtedly effective."

"If you would need some help in wesen cases," said Trubel.

"Contact Adalind," added Eve/Juliette. "She will always have way to contact us…"

"Once you decide to left firm, Adalind," nodded Berman. "I'll resign for my position. I'll never more go against you…"

TO BE CONTINUED…  
ONE DAY…


	4. Chapter 4 - Camp Burkhardt

Author's note – I am glad I succeed to write a new chapter before Beltáine Bonfire time. In Czechia it is evening and night from April 30 to May 1, when you could see everywhere girls in witch costumes, rather, than during Halloween. So enjoy your Beltáine time…

Chapter 4 – Camp Burkhardt

Together with Adalind, Monroe and Rosalee they decided to make 'new' portion of Force du Sang, 'the strength of one's blood' potion. It was mainly Nick's idea:

"I'm not paranoid, but better to be armed and not need it, than be sorry for not having weapon in time."

Adalind agreed and Monroe nodded on Nick's explanation and Rosalee prepared the rest of necessary ingredients. After both Adalind and Monroe woged and with Nick they all three connected their hands over earthen casserole. Rosalee refused to stab all three hands together, but thankfully Trubel had not so high level of empathizing…

"Nick, have you knew, it will heal in so short moment?" asked Adalind.

"Why didn't you say a word?" asked Monroe.

"I wanted to surprise you," smirked Nick. "I know more than you so seldom…"

Once the potion was finished, they divided it into aliquots in small earthen vials.

"We can use it as caustic hand-grenades," said Trubel with a little bit sadistic smile.

"How long could it stay active?" asked Monroe pragmatically.

"I think, it will work till you will believe to work," said Diana with her ringing voice.

Several vials obtained Trubel with Josh, rest was placed on strategic spots in both Adalind's and Nick's as well as Rosalee's and Monroe's homes, in trailer and in spice shop and even in drawer of Nick's desk in precinct and in Adalind office too. Harrison Berman and staff members were naturally not informed…

XXXXXXX

United Nick & Adalind and Trubel & Josh wedding was short and silent. Few invited – dominantly wesen – guests knew, Nick and Trubels are Grimms and Adalind is Hexenbiest, so woge followed by dark black Grimm's eyes did not shock anybody.

Bored Diana stole all four rings and made them rotate for a few moments around both couples, but Adalind's frowning made her to say: "Sorry mum!" and return rings, each to proper ring finger.

Wedding celebration was cancelled, once Wu obtained report of double murder with suspicious circumstances.

"Maybe this time it's not wesen," said Hank.

"Five bucks for it?" asked Wu.

Hank reasonably did not answer, so he was not five dollars shorter…

XXXXXXX

6 years later…

Kelly was listening behind the door. Mum and dad wanted to dispute results without him. It was not so unusual, however more often it was in attempt to think over, how to penalize his and/or Diana's pranks…

"So?" asked Adalind.

"According examination, he has in his retina the same aberrant type of cone cells, as I have. So he will very probably be a Grimm one day. He has no Hexenbiest birthmarks on the underside of his tongue, but I've never tested Renard for having it, so I have no idea, whether it's also mark of Zauberbiest and as you remember, we never tested even Diana."

"We do know, what Diana is," mum almost growled.

"In fact not," objected dad. "It always seemed to us to be so obvious, so we never spent time trying to find more."

"What are they solving?" asked Diana on his back.

"Whether you're Hexenbiest or some higher grade and whether I'm a Grimm or Zauberbiest, both of them or none of them."

"You are a Grimm, that's obvious," snorted Diana. "I think, your Zauberbiest potential was like 'consumed' by Grimm talent. And I AM something special."

Diana's eyes became purple and she telekinetically opened door:

"I'm bored. You should ask me first next time. Kelly is just a Grimm. His Zauberbiest potential only enhanced his Grimm powers, so he'll be a Grimm in younger age."

Diana dropped her bombshell and laughed, seeing elongated faces of adults.

Nick and Adalind looked on each other and simultaneously rolled their eyes…

"I'm sorry he's not a Zauerbiest too," said Nick.

"Why?" asked Adalind.

"Telekinesis could be helpful in fight and as an Grimm he WILL be in a lot of fights," explained Nick. "Adalind, I would wish to ask you…"

"To show him, WHAT am I, right?" said Adalind. "Fine, darling, mum will show you something, my face will be different, but it's still me."

"Does it pain?" asked Kelly same way, as his sister few years ago.

"In fact no," answered Adalind and did small woge. "This is named woge, now I do small version."

Adalind observed boy, but shook her head.

"He's not yet active."

"Fine, but we'll better prepare him in advance," nodded Nick. "Show him big woge, please."

Adalind did it, saying:

"This is an Hexenbiest, darling."

Kelly observed her face with interest and with no fear at all:

"That's how I always imagined the witch should look like, not just your shining eyes, sis," he turned to Diana. "This is much more cool…"

"OK," tamed his enthusiasm dad. "Tomorrow we'll go to spice shop to say hallo to Monroe and Rosalee and to ask for their woge. I'll call them to warn them."

Nick smiled a bit and opened one closet in kitchen. He pulled big old-looking book and scetch-block from there:

"From today you have to learn something, Kelly. There are truths you will know and you will be never allowed to tell anybody, whom me or mum would not authorize in advance. Part of it you could find in this book and in other books our family wrote. Try, whether you are able to draw such kind of drawings and read this book. It must never leave this house. You will also learn to practice some martial arts and how to fight in global. Later you will find, there are a lot of people, who want you dead and you should be prepared for it. Our mission is to protect unknowing and to hunt down those, who decided to abuse their own special powers. Your personal mission starts just today…"

XXXXXXX

7 years after wedding…

Adalind's ending in office remained noiselessly, she anyway continued in cooperation as external advisor. Harrison Berman decided to retire, saying he's too old and tired to risk collision with Adalind…

Nick did during those years only one killing for Berman's contract, cashed to Adalind, naturally. Ironically, it was a case, he would anyway have to solve a Grimm way. Target was Bertrand Fitzroy, Schakal and contract-killer. His specialty was killing victims in woge such a way, like being attacked accidentally by roaming dog. Fitzroy killed important witness in one Berman's case and Nick was unable to find evidence to prove it. Nick anyway confronted Fitzroy in pension room as Grimm and being attacked, he defenestrated Schakal (threw him out of window). Fitzroy did not learn to fly in time and landing with resilience is usually considered to be unhealthy mode…

For common surprise from Fitzroy's death was accused one of his contract owners, who decided to testify in exchange for dismissing charges…

8 years after wedding…

Nick and Kelly jogged through park together. Nick observed older lady being attacked by teenage girl and her purse was robbed.

Nick made gesticulation in family code meaning 'cover your face and follow me'.

Adult Grimm observed surroundings, there was nobody, who looked like robber's backup.

Nick caught her and knocked her down. Robber girl woged and chattered:

"Grimm!"

"Your hands, Klaustreich!" Nick said it silently, but robber heard and showed her hands far from body and opened.

Nick quickly examined her, but she had no weapon and seemed also no other stolen things. So he fingerprinted her and sent it to Wu.

"Hi Nick," ringed Wu in less, than two minutes. "Alicia Kagavia. Low grade criminal records, trivial thefts and shop-liftings, no radar on her. Would you need backup?"

"If yes, I'll call you in few minutes."

Nick observed, eldering lady came to them. He showed her his badge and offered purse:

"Will you agree to press charges against her?" asked.

"I have my purse back and I have nothing broken. I have better things to do, than just sitting in courthouse," refused older lady and moved away.

"So what, will you let me go?" asked suddenly impudent girl.

"Not so quickly," said Nick. "My son needs to learn drawing."

Kelly pulled his writing pad and started draw her in unwoged stage.

"Now woge!" ordered Nick, observing, Kelly made drawing surprisingly well for his age. "Big woge!"

Klaustreich looked surprised, but obeyed order.

"Fine," said Nick few minutes later. "Now remember, we know your name, we have picture of your woge. Time for you to change place or occupation…"

XXXXXXX

10 years after wedding…

"Dad, how much longer?" asked Kelly.

They came through forest, yesterday morning they started forty six miles from this place and only food were army food bars. Well and two eastern cottontail rabbits, shot yesterday during day and roasted on evening fire. Kelly had on his back heavy rucksack with bivouac for wild-camping and squirrel rifle. He felt really tired and vision of tasty dinner made by his mum was only reason he hadn't drop everything and refuse to continue.

However shooting from squirrel rifle was funny – dad found one by one two eastern cottontail rabbits and ordered him to shot them. Daddy had with himself his gun and his own scout rifle, but he said, using caliber 308 Winchester for rabbit is exaggerated. Nick had hunter license, but he used it only scarcely, well, they have deer or something similar two three times a year. He better used hunter license to explain, why he has rifle with a riflescope with himself. Skinning rabbits was much less funny, but dad did it one case and refuse his order to do it with a second rabbit was impossible.

"You'll have David Crockett's hat," promised Nick, depositing rabbit pelts into his rucksack. "And you must learn not to fear touch dead bodies."

Nick also deposited viscera of both rabbits into plastic bag:

"Mum could use it for spells," explained.

Rabbit meat was a bit stiff, but after army MRE bars (Meal Ready to Eat) it was tasty…

Finally they observed both Adalind and Diana concerning fire and cauldron. They both looked exactly as what they were – mother and daughter witches. When Kelly wanted to run to them, Nick held him:

"You must first make sure, nobody is observing you or them. How did Monroe teach you?"

Kelly nodded and first reconnoitered surroundings by eyes. Once finding nothing, he used binoculars.

"Nothing suspect," said.

"Nothing suspect," agreed Nick. "Let's go for dinner."

When they came into camp perimeter, Diana turned to them and smiled:

"As I foretold, you are here and dinner is ready."

Nick passed to Adalind plastic bag:

"Maybe for some spells…"

Adalind raised her left eyebrow:

"Really romantic, rabbit viscera, no roses, no aquilegia," she half-smiled.

But she accepted that bag and placed it into fridge box.

"I promised Kelly his Davy Crockett's hat," 'confessed' Nick.

"OK," nodded Diana. "Give me that pelts."

After some complicated gesticulation both rabbit pelts changed colors, looking now like raccoon and formed itself into a bit unshapely hat.

The gumbo in cauldron was really tasty…

XXXXXXX

11 years after wedding…

Fencing instructor with stave tested Kelly's defense. All attempts to attack were blocked by efficient movements, Kelly even several times tried to attack instructor with his own wooden sword, made to be as heavy, as normal sword should be.

Instructor was satisfied, but kept unconcerned tone of voice:

"OK, Kelly, you can take away that blindfold from your eyes."

XXXXXXX

13 years after wedding…

Nick with Bart, Monroe's father observed kids in forest.

Kelly with Felix stayed back to back, both with paintball guns ready to use. Frederick helped Máiréad, the only girl from Rosalee's and Monroe's triplets, to draw Kelly's and Felix's level.

"What do you think," asked grandfather of triplets, observing them. "Will Kelly one day marry Máiréad?"

Girl obtained her name after one Rosalee's Irish aunt. Both boys obtained names after deceased members of family.

Nick checked his own paintball gun and shrugged his shoulder:

"I have no idea."

"It's possible, but not probable," answered Diana, appearing likewise from 'nowhere'. "They spent too much time together."

"And where is problem?" asked grandma Alice.

"In Westermarck effect," answered girl. "They were so often together in young age, so they accept each other more like brother and sister, rather than potential partner. And Kelly could be under influence of Oedipus complex to look rather for an Hexenbiest as partner or he could marry one of Trubel's daughters. They will probably be Grimms and Kelly's descendants with any of them too."

"So, let's see, who is better," said Bart with strange smile and woged. "Old Guard, or New Kids on the block…"

He bended and howled. Monroe from northern side howled back and DeEtta was heard from west side. Now it was only a game, but one day…

"It's a strange feeling to know, my grandchildren will help to Grimm and I even assist as instructor," shrugged his shoulders Bart.

"I guess, you remembered, what happened in Philadelphia?" said Nick.

Bart frowned, but nodded.

Trubel reported, her web of wesen informants found horrible place with several scorched bodies. Even two of them were kidnapped a day later and faced to tribunal of Wesenrein fanatics. Thankfully Trubel with help of her informants was able to locate place and together with Josh they picked off members of that tribunal, as well as their coworkers, using sniper rifles against villains…

Trubel confiscated all papers and memory media on crime scene, but left there all bodies. With wesen informants they only removed traces after saved hostages and routed police to find the place by anonymous calling. Philadelphia Police did not recognize strange symbolism, with exception of wesen cops off course, but they were able to join death tribunal members with case of burnings to death…

Nick strongly doubted, whether Philadelphia Police will be capable to solve this case one day…

"Even worse," said Bart after short silence. "Own idiots, killing people because of chosen partners or because of friends. If this is the only, what Grimms do, it would be a good job."

Rosalee together with her mother Gloria Calvert and Adalind refused to take part in this battle-game and ostensibly prepared big tent with couchettes and marked by big Red Cross.

Diana on other hand used her abilities to be almost ubiquitous and acted as umpire in game.

Bart, together with his wife Alice, was eliminated first. Bart only wordlessly looked on several colored dots on his chest and abdomen, showing how careless he became and shook his head. They stood up on Kelly's back, but Grimm boy was able to jump aside and shoot them both with paintball gun.

Monroe together with DeEtta circled around and made kids to waste some ammo. Finally Monroe made mistake and being shot to his leg, he withdrew the battleground. DeEtta made similar mistake just few minutes later. Opposite to Monroe she lied, pretending being really wound. Frederick, who came to check her, was attacked and Diana declared him as eliminated.

Felix together with Kelly eliminated triumphant DeEtta, but Nick with his experience was too good and they finally agreed on draw, as Nick did not allow any of remaining three kids to find position to hit him and Kelly with Felix and Máiréad did not let him to find position to hit any of them. In moment of agreement there was not more, then three rounds in any of paintball gun…

XXXXXXX

16 years after wedding…

"Adalind," woke Nick his wife. "Come to see something."

On monitor of computer they observed Kelly with unknown girl entering his room. For a short moment girl woged.

"Have you seen it?" asked Adalind. "What was she?"

"I'm not sure," shrugged Nick his shoulders. "I haven't seen the face and recognized just fur, I guess, she could be Fuchsau, Klaustreich or something such…"

"It's almost morning," said Adalind, seeing on clock ten past five morning. "We could wake them up and find out, what to expect."

She used her Skeleton Key and opened door locked from inside. Nick shook his son's shoulder, Adalind slightly touched girl's hand.

Frightened girl woged into Klaustreich. Adalind showed her face of Hexenbiest.

"Time for breakfast," said witch. "Kelly, show your guest, where the bathroom is."

There are several kinds of silence. Silence in kitchen was kind known as Embarrassed Silence…

"So, you, excuse me, I overheard your name," said Nick, looking on girl. "How do you know Kelly?"

"Dona," whispered girl softly. "We met on Francine party."

Francine Dalgliesh was Kelly's schoolmate and Kelly suspected her to be an wesen. Maybe rightfully. He accepted invitation, as many others schoolmates and tried to find, what is she? Dona, whom he did never suspect, woged to Klaustreich, but Francine did never woge before him and according Dona's words, he is known to be a Grimm…

"Hannah said, Grimms have longer…" girl made strange gesticulation, what made Kelly's face to turn red. "I've said them, Kelly's a Grimm, so they told me to pick him up…"

"You got entangled with a Grimm, could be dangerous," said Nick, observing girl's face. "Are you ready for such a risk?"

"It was just one night!" said Dona and woged for a moment. "And it in fact wasn't SO long, as Hannah thought."

That was really something, what Kelly did not need to hear, it came to him, what is written in Grimm books about Klaustreichs, they are usually idiots…

When they finally finished with breakfast, Kelly escorted Dona out of house.

After opening garden gate he grabbed her forearm:

"What are they?" Kelly instinctively pressed harder.

"Easy, I don't want to have bruise," Dona started to mock Kelly. "Find it yourself, after all, you are a Grimm and son of detective…"

She became more serious:

"For beginner you were not so bad, but even as Grimm you are boring good guy, so do not call me."

When she turned her back to him, Kelly smiled. In fact, he forgot to ask for her phone number.

He returned to kitchen to hear:

"Time for your survival test," said his father. "After having sex it's easiest to be killed…"

TO BE CONTINUED…  
IN MAY…


	5. Chapter 5 - Negotiations

Chapter 5 – Negotiations

Kelly came to school with suspicion, what could three wesen teenage girls wreak. His imagination pictured him photos of himself with Dona 'tête-à-tête' in bed. But thankful there were no suspicious groups of conspiratorially speaking students or other signs of imminently approaching catastrophe…

Coming into building he observed Francine Dalgliesh. Kelly was unsure, whether she knows everything, but he decided to act like if the answer is yes.

He cornered Francine, not touching her.

"What are you?" asked her.

Girl smiled and woged to Musai.

Kelly stepped two steps back from her. He recognized both Dona and Hannah coming from other corridors to corner HIM.

"So here we have big bad Grimm," said Hannah and woged to Ziegevolk.

"You gave quite a different sense to word horny," said Kelly with dirty smile, deciding to play ugly card right now.

Both other girls laughed a bit, Hannah frowned.

"Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? Quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet? Quem ad finem sese effrenata iactabit audacia?*" asked Kelly by Cicero's words in Latin language.

(*"When, O Catiline, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now?" Wiki)

"I don't think, you have right to use 'Royal We'*" answered Francine.

(*Royal We – Pluralis Majestatis – Plural of Majesty – speaking in plural from the name of high office or royal kind of sovereignty)

"I use it as member of Grimm family with support of Grimm family power and with authorization by Wesen Council to deal with this kind of problems."

Kelly pulled small bottle from his pocket and demonstratively drunk 'poisonously' green liquid with herbal scent.

"Grimm's poly-anti-venom," said.

It was a big falsehood, in true it was just a potion helping with concentration of mind.

Seeing interest in faces of all three girls, Kelly continued:

"Enough to stay conscious, till I reach my mother. She's Hexenbiest, so she could make potion to heal intoxication by Ziegevolk's pheromones or Musai toxin."

"Is his mother REALLY an Hexenbiest?" asked Francine to Dona. "Something you forgot to tell us?"

"Yea, she is," started Klaustreich girl to equivocate. "But it seemed to be of no importance…"

"No importance?!" Hannah almost growled. "You can't be so stupid, it must be a purpose."

"I have an offer for you," said Kelly. "You'll keep living according Gesetzbuc Ehrenkodex and I'll let you live."

"Do you think, you can menace with our death, now with all three of us?" asked Dona. "You can't think you could overpower all three of us."

Kelly ostentatiously yawned and kneaded his fingers. After this theatrical performance he nodded:

"I know to practice karate and aikido."

"And a lot of other japan words," snorted Dona.

Kelly gave her a wide wordless smile…

"In necessary case we can place video from our night on web," said Klaustreich.

"Kehrsaite would think, it's just a fantasy kind of home-made porn," answered Kelly. "But Wesen Council would recognize you as threat and they would send either Marechaussee or they would ask me. That's more probable, as it would be cheaper arrangement of things…"

"Ask you to do what?" asked Francine.

"To do our killing," answered Hannah. "Dad told me never to mess with Wesen Council. They prefer to do exemplary punishments in such cases."

Francine and Hannah both stared on Dona.

"I didn't do it, not yet!" squeaked Klaustreich girl.

"OK, Grimm," said Hannah. "Now you won. But it's not for ever."

"It's enough," nodded Kelly. "Behave yourself and we do not need to be enemies. I'll have enough real villains to finish."

He nodded and observed all three girls, who made group, like being together could give them some protection from angry Grimm.

"What a shame Dona," heaved a sigh Kelly. "I hoped for something more with you, I was stupid…"

XXXXXXX

"So is she Ziegevolk?" asked Monroe. "With Rosalee and Nick we destroyed powers of one."

"But you would need her sweat," explained Rosalee. "And one of her toads."

"We can think it about," said Adalind. "But agreement you made is satisfying."

"Accept it as lecture in diplomacy," nodded Nick. "It's in fact not necessary to behead every wesen troublemaker you observe. But write a report about this affair, just for every case and for future…"

"Next weekend will be full moon," said Monroe. "As this is time for a lot of wesen troublemakers to make troubles. So you should observe and in necessary case intervene."

"Triplets will be with you," said Rosalee. "Look not to die there, any of you. It's only a survival test."

Máiréad, as well as both her brothers Felix and Frederick, was used to obey Kelly's orders. As Kelly was stronger, than any of them, they accepted him as leader, similar way like pack Canidae carnivorans species tend to do.

All three friends looked on Kelly.

"Will be funny," nodded Frederick.

"Fine," nodded Nick. "We'll drive you four to Salem. You should make reconnaissance of terrain on rout back to Portland, discreetly observe and especially hearken everything. In gossips you can, time by time, find a crumb of useful information. You can use local transport, even hitchhiking, but be careful and do not risk. For case you would need to escape 'into woods', we'll allow you satellite phone. I have one for you."

"There are some rumors around Aurora, so maybe try to observe there," smirked Rosalee.

XXXXXXX

Friday, after school, all four of them left Portland with Nick by his car.

In West Salem he let them out:

"So, now it's your shift. Don't risk, in case of danger call me and run or hide."

"By dad, so see you on Sunday at trailer," nodded Kelly with smile.

All four teenagers looked exactly as what they in fact were – sightseers. Locals observed them till they hit the route into Lincoln. After few miles of walking they arrived to forest acceptable for one night sleep, however without fire.

"Tomorrow we'll try to ask for local rumors," decided Kelly. "Now we'll better do recon of nearest vicinity to avoid being observed by somebody."

They were more, than two hundred yards from Bethel Road, but anyway, all them knew, there are wesen species able to sniff them out…

When Frederick and Felix were on inspections, Máiréad needed Kelly to stay in their provisional campground.

"Mum and dad talked about you, that you slept with a Klaustreich girl," said Rosalee's and Monroe's daughter. "Why've you never asked me?"

TO BE CONTINUED…

ONCE, HOPEFULLY SOONER, THAN IN TIME LIKE BETWEEN LAST AND THIS CHAPTER…


	6. Chapter 6 - Homo Homini Coiotes

Chapter 6 – Homo Homini Coiotes

Unfortunately I was and I am quite short of time to continue it on a regular basis…

(Homo Homini Lupus Est – A man is a wolf to another man – simplified from Plautus – wiki)

"What do you think?" asked Nick question to Adalind. "Is it too soon? Will they succeed?"

"Too many questions," smiled his wife. "He's your son. He's strong, I said you, I felt it even being pregnant. And as he's like his father, he simply MUST do things more dangerous and more hard way. Me, you, nor Monroe or Rosalee could live his life instead of him. Triplets will help him not to do too many mistakes and together they should be able defeat almost anything. He as Grimm musts survive danger, it's simply inevitable."

"I envy you your serenity," answered Nick.

"It's not serenity," reposted Adalind. "I just get used, any time could come Hank, Wu or even Renard to say, you died during your duty, either as cop or as Grimm…"

XXXXXXX

Máiréad's question 'Why've you never asked me?' resonated somehow in Kelly's mind. She is really cute and attractive even being woged, maybe rather especially if being woged... Same as her brothers she looked rather like Luizon, than Blutbad or Fuchsbau.

If Trubel and her daughters are here in Portland or at least somewhere nearby, one her daughters would most probably become his female partner, but they have their own agenda in Atlanta, so wesen girl could be good candidate for his future destiny…

He decided not to turn Máiréad's sentence into joke, but answer it as serious question:

"It would be abuse of authority."

"WHAT?!" asked Máiréad and rolled her eyes. "What the hell do you mean?"

"I'm leader of our 'quatrefoil'," said Kelly. "So asking you would be abuse of this authority."

Máiréad rolled her eyes again.

"Are you hunting our Grimm, sis?" said Frederick, who just returned to campground. "Kelly, you could be hardly more similar to your dad, being his clone," he smiled to Kelly. "Sis, he has imprinted his father's moral code deep in his mind," he turned to his sister again.

"As long, as our sister is happy with you," said Felix, who returned same time from another side. "We can be good with you two being together. And you can rely on our loyalty. But nothing happens tonight and here," he added with laugh. "By the way, we have the mission here. Do you have plan, once you nominated yourself to be our leader?"

"I thought about it," answered Kelly. "It's obvious, we simply can't enter somewhere to café and start openly asking about monsters. I looked through net, I even found one suspicious death, or better to say two of them. But it doesn't look like an really obvious wesen problem. Mr. and Mrs. Cledmentses died in car accident a month ago. Their daughter Laura Cledments is in custody of her uncle, Jeffrey Esselt now. He's cousin of her father and local deputy sheriff. So he had assets and occasion to manipulate that case to be closed as accident. She is in his custody till her eighteen, what is one more year from now. Dad told me, he several times met with wesens abusing their authority, being in similar positions. So we should check this Jeffrey Esselt and his relatives, as together with him several other family members moved to Cledments Farm."

Kelly looked on his listeners.

"I can be wrong," he nodded. My father has probably no suspicion, but he has too many cases more close to our home, so he has no time for active tracing suspicious causes all around. And there is still possibility, these people are normal Kehrsaite, just only parasitizing on their relative. That farm is closed to Pacific Highway, mile or so after Aurora on way to Portland. But there is no direct rumors indicating problems with wesens, well with one exception from Aurora. One driver in night had an accident, trying not to hit somebody in mask. It was not far from Cledments's Farm, by the way. That even doesn't mean, there is none other reported observation, but simply who observed cat-or-wolf-headed man would consider it a problem with whiskey or weed. Nobody is ready to believe, that what he observed, could be real. And such a witness will probably never speak. I was thinking to say, that we collect local rumors for school project. But hard to say, what would locals answer us. And if I'm right with my suspicion about that farm, we would warn them to stay unwoged. So I changed my mind, we must just walk amongst people and I would use noses of you three. I'll cover your back for case of being attacked. Another wesen, after recognize you as different kind could be stupid and decide to attack any of us."

"So we'll do all the hard part of work and you'll just use a result of it," laughed Felix.

"Sure," nodded Kelly with a witty smile. "Is it a problem or what?"

They all laughed before drawing lots for night patrol times. Kelly got the last but one shift before Frederick as last.

"Hey dude, karma is a bitch," said Felix, whose shift was just before Kelly's.

Night was quiet, they were all four used to spend time in forests. So they observed just one crazy curious raccoon, disappointed by absence of food rests in their campground and they also heard some owls and usual sounds of forest by night…

They left their campground in 'graveyardal' greyish light of daybreak. They removed everything that could indicate, they spent a night there. Few minutes later they hit the road. Juggernaut driver took them to small pub, where they almost billowed in scent of blueberry pie…

After breakfast Kelly asked triplets:

"Anybody suspect?"

Felix grimaced on him.

"Too much Old Spice so soon in morning. I can feel only aftershave, coffee or this pie," he showed for several crumbs, the only remnants of his breakfast. "We must go out, where less masking scents will be, I guess."

"OK," nodded Kelly and asked waitress for a bill.

Saturday early morning territory looked like in catastrophic sci-fi films, street was cold and empty like a hearth of professional politician…

They neared Cledments's Farm. All three siblings looked repeatedly on Kelly and shook their heads.

"The day before yesterday was heavy rain," said Felix. "It's possible, all scent marks were washed away and local wesens are no traditionalists to urine-mark their territory.

Half a mile from Cledments's Farm Máiréad observed shelter, aside of road. She wordlessly came there to check that place. She suddenly felt a scent of Coyotl coming from her back.

Before she was able to look there, somebody grabbed her and neared knife to her neck.

Hillbilly in dirty and tattered dungarees, with lumberjack axe tucked under belt looked on her, woged to Coyotl form and smirked.

"Pedro, well-done," he addressed to villain with knife. "Seems, this Aseveración will be much better, than usual."

TO BE CONTINUED…

One day…


	7. Chapter 7 - Damned Farm

Chapter 7 – Damned Farm

I finally found a bit of time to continue…

Kelly observed Máiréad, who inspected shelter aside of road. He also observed two men, one of them in probably of even younger age, than Kelly's or triplets, second was about twenty, Kelly guessed.

Both men were in farmer's dungarees, older had axe. Kelly decided not to do any noise, to avoid Máiréad being killed by panicked attackers.

Whole 'quatrefoil' was unarmed, they had only short pocket knives. So, the only weapon Kelly had, was his own self-assurance. He pulled a pair of examination gloves from his back pocket and kept it hidden in clenched fist.

"Pedro, well-done," Kelly heard. "Seems, this Aseveración will be much better, than usual."

XXXXXXX

Máiréad observed woged Coyotl, after that woged back.

Attacker with knife was surprised and moved his hand with 'lethal weapon' a bit aside. Máiréad quickly used that, she slammed his instep with her heel, leaning all her weight and force into it, fraction of second later she moved her head vigorously backward, breaking attacker's nose. She loosen herself from clench and banded her knees, preparing for fight.

"A Luison?" asked older attacker with surprise in his voice.

Máiréad decided not to lose time and breathing for explanation, that she is FuchsBlut. In that very moment Kelly managed to appear, with a wit smile on his face.

"Coyotles," said Kelly in conversational tone. "How interesting. So, easy way or hard way?" asked, ostensibly wearing purple nitrile gloves on his hands.

"A Grimm!" screamed older attacker and grasped the axe.

"Hard way," nodded Kelly. "OK."

Young Grimm observed both attackers, seemingly bigger attention focused on man with axe. By peripheral vision he also observed younger guy with knife and in moment, when boy tried to stab his back, Kelly grabbed Coyotl's hand with knife and lengthened that motion, so the knife ended in older attacker's rib cage. Subsequently Kelly grabbed right hand of older attacker and slashed younger attacker forehead with it. Whole action was finished in less, than two seconds.

Kelly jumped aside to let both dead bodies fall down.

"Seems to me, you approved your Grimmy," said Frederick, who just came. "Will we call for police?"

"Better no," answered Kelly.

He bended down and checked both bodies. As first he removed several Máiréad's hairs from younger attacker's face. Kelly placed it into small plastic bag and hid it in his pocket.

"They have no phones and no ID," continues Kelly. "Our phones will be later checked and our being here will be confirmed. But coroner cannot determine the time of death with perfect precision, so we could keep saying, we never met with anybody here and nobody was here in time we had a debate here."

"And what did we debated?" asked Felix, who came with Frederick simultaneously. "We came here in different times."

"We debated my … errm… dating with Máiréad," answered Kelly and became red in face.

Máiréad laughed.

"So, now are we… errm… dating?" girl perfectly imitated sound of Kelly's embarrassment.

"Big objections?" asked Kelly, what made Máiréad to laugh even more loudly.

Both her brothers laughed too.

"She got you," nodded Felix. "You hunted two, what were they, by the way? And she hunted for you and succeeded."

"Coyotles," answered Máiréad. "Case is not closed, there is somewhere young Coyotl girl, probably handcuffed or incarcerated. This dickhead spoke about Aseveración," she spotted on body of older attacker.

"He looks a bit similar to Jeffrey Esselt's photo on Sheriff 's web site," commented Kelly. "Probably his bloodline, son or nephew."

"We should first move to forest, find some water and clean the blood from you both," frowned Frederick. "If you want us to keep speaking 'we never saw these nuts', we should better remove our traces as best, as it is possible and blow away."

"What story does this scene say to you, if you don't know the truth?" asked Kelly.

Felix closed his eyes, shook his head and opened eyes again:

"These two idiots killed each other in an duel of kind," smiled on everybody. "We just need to remove some traces connecting us to them. Later we can deny to authorities, that we ever saw them. And switch your phones to silent mode."

"Wouldn't be better to switch it off?" asked Frederick.

"Nope," shook Kelly his head. "Switching off would be recorded by phone net, silent mode would remain unnoticed. If we found that girl and liberate her, we should disable our phones and remove batteries to avoid distant switching it on, what could use Deputy Sheriff as official authority staffer."

Everybody agreed, so the hit the track and hurried to forest.

XXXXXXX

At forest creek they removed blood from Kelly's hands and clothes. It was surprisingly small amount he was polluted with, in Máiréad's case it was just few drops of blood in her hair.

"So, what next?" asked Felix. "Will we carefully check the farm?"

"'Don't think so," answered Kelly. "They have security cameras on farm, almost for sure. So we should act, like if we do not know anything suspect about this farm, we just decided to buy some apples or other fruits on farm closed to forest and we found handcuffed girl there," he continued in fabulation. "From that moment anything we would say or do would be accepted, I believe. Not by remaining members of Coyotl Pack, off course. By the way, till we'll left the farm with or without that girl, do not name any of us. Use words like 'dude' or so."

"Sure," nodded Máiréad. "So, let's go!"

They came to Cledments's Farm with laughing and nudging each other, looking like a group of totally idiotic trippers.

"Anybody here?!" whooped Kelly. "We'd like to buy some apples or something!"

On his discreet silent gesture his friends fell quiet.

"This way!" ordered Kelly, indicating to barn. "There is somebody moaning!"

At the barn gate Frederick turned himself to take position of back warden and Felix returned few yards to cover driveway. Kelly tried to open that gate, using small piece of wire and he finally successfully unlocked it.

The scene in barn looked like a scene they all knew from Grimm books.

"Seems, these jackasses are totally incapable to come with any new idea," frowned Kelly.

He looked around and tried to find, whether is there anybody else. He heard nobody, so he decided to start conversation with fettered girl. The conversation was blocked by fact, she had gag in her mouth. Coyotl Pack probably decided to let her stay in uncomfortable position to make her fatigue and obedient, in sense sexually available…

"Hi, excuse me, are you Laura Cledments?"

Girl looked on him like if he was totally mad. But a second later she nodded for agree.

"Do you want to stay here or flee with us," continued Kelly.

"Darling," turned Máiréad to him. "You must now ask just yes-or-no questions only."

Máiréad turned to poor girl.

"Do you want to stay here?"

Girl shook her head.

"Do you want to run away with us?"

Girl nodded.

"Great, sweet heart," nodded Kelly to Máiréad. "We must make some pictures for to show to authorities to explain, why we were here and what we'll have to do. Please make that gag unfasten, so it would look on picture like she did it herself and she screamed for help, so we came here."

"Are you sure?" turned Máiréad to him.

"I don't think, she's going to scream to beckon her own rapists," answered Kelly.

Girl several times nodded.

"OK," smiled Máiréad. "Is it because of Aseveración?" asked and woged.

Girl woged back into Coyotl form and immediately looked scared like hell.

"Yea, he's a Grimm," smiled Máiréad even wider and shortly snuggled to Kelly. "My Grimm, by the way, to avoid any misunderstanding."

Laura Cledments wandered by her eyes around, but finally she kept woged and looked into Kelly's eyes firmly. She closed her eyes for a moment and after that she nodded again.

Máiréad came to her and partially removed gag from her mouth.

"How did you know?" asked.

"Later," cut Kelly conversation. "Darling, do not untie these ropes, we'll make pictures and we'll cut it. We must left here as less scent traces, as it's possible."

"I'm not stupid," answered Máiréad, but any way she made several pictures with her phone, as well, as Kelly did.

"Enough!" decided Kelly. "Time to piss off."

Máiréad cut ropes with her pocket knife.

"How is it possible?" asked Laura. "Grimm and Luizon?"

"Later!" answered together Kelly and Máiréad.

"It's a farm here, here should be some shotgun or something to pest hunting," speculated Kelly. "Is Deputy Jeffrey Esselt involved into this?"

"That way!" showed Laura. "And yes, Jeffrey Esselt is head of this Coyotl pack."

Felix silently ran into barn with Frederick on his heels.

"They are here!" however he stayed calm, it was evident, time waits for no man. "Two in Sheriff forms."

XXXXXXX

Sheriff Jeremy Recks felt bad. He observed CSI team, normally working for Portland PD, in their white suits they looked like strange ET-astronauts. He was alerted few minutes ago by bystander, who found two dead bodies in shelter near Cledments's Farm. When he came there, he recognized Bill Esselt, son of his Deputy and Pedro Ramirez, son of his Deputy's cousin. Scene looked, like both boys killed each other in an strange duel of kind.

Now he fixed his Deputy in hands, blocking him from contaminating crime scene.

"I'm really so badly sorry Jeff, but I must suspend you from this investigation," explained Sheriff to his Deputy.

"That's my son!" cried Jeffrey Esselt.

"That's why you're not allowed to investigate it, you're involved as victim family member," continued Sheriff Recks. "I know, it's cruel for you right now, but is there any reason, why Pedro would wish to kill him?"

Sheriff did not ask, whether there was a reason for Bill Esselt to kill Pedro Ramirez, as Pedro was stinker, whom almost everybody would wish to finish…

He bended for his second Deputy, Judith Lehmann to come to them.

"Judy, crime scene is all yours now, I'll better see Jeff home."

Deputy Lehmann nodded and returned to CSI team to speed them up a bit.

XXXXXXX

"If CSI wouldn't find anything unexpected, I'm going to close it as two-way manslaughter," said Sheriff during walk to his Deputy, who remained silent. "By the way, is Laura home, could it be possible, she killed them both?"

"No, she's on weekend at her aunt's place," lied Deputy Esselt. "They wanted girl weekend with her cousin sister."

Aunt Margaret Batoulis was Jeffrey's sister in law, Coyotl like any of them. But she divorced with his brother Brandon and she also decided to use her maiden name again. During divorce trial she, with big help of her lawyer, also succeeded to arrange active protection order against both Brandon and Jeffrey Esselts. Her daughter Lilly was year and half younger, than Laura, and both brothers made plans for her kidnap, once she is near to seventeen…

"So you'll explain her everything later," nodded Sheriff Recks. "Could you also inform Txema?"

Txema Ramirez was Pedro's father and he was 'helping' with Farm, however he mostly used to spend his time drinking or sleeping out drunk.

"Sure," frowned Jeffrey. "Once I find his newest tuck hole. I'll better call Brandon."

He dialed his brother's phone number. His brother as construction worker was in Portland, but he could be back home in two or three hours, as soon as he would learn about Bill's and Pedro's death and Laura's disappearance, what most probably correlated…

"Hi Jeff, what's up?" he heard from phone.

"Bill is dead, killed, probably by Pedro, come home immediately," answered Deputy Esselt. "We should find Txema's last hungover hiding hole."

"Don't kill him!" said Sheriff. "I need his statement and I want it signed on my own eyes."

"Don't worry," answered Jeffrey. "He'd also lost his son, so he's punished enough."

Jeffrey in fact thought about making 'surrogate-replacing' descendants with Laura…

They walked together into object of Farm.

"Txema, where are you?!" screamed Jeffrey.

When Sheriff Recks opened barn gate, Deputy Esselt get prepared to kill him. But Sheriff surprised his Deputy by question:

"Aren't they too old to play red Indians?"

XXXXXXX

"This way!" said Laura and indicated by pointing finger on ladder to hay stock on upstairs. "There is an widow on opposite side, where it's possible to jump down and move away."

"Good," nodded Kelly. "Lead us!"

All five of them quickly climbed the ladder, thankfully stable enough to let two of them be on it.

Kelly was surprised, as Laura laid herself close to him from opposite side, as Máiréad did so.

"It's Sheriff Recks," she whispered into his ear. "He's Kehrsaite and totally unhelpful for us now."

"Aren't they too old to play red Indians?" asked Sheriff somebody on his back.

Kelly guessed, second man must be Deputy Jeffrey Esselt. That confirmed itself to him few second later, seeing face known from Sheriff website.

Both men observed scene. At least Jeffrey Esselt perfectly knew, there is something, or rather somebody, missing. But occurrence of Sheriff Recks blocked him from full woge and sniffing in order to find female fugitive.

Jeffrey did not answer and sent to Sheriff painful wounded look.

"I know, you just lost your son," Jeremy Recks looked with great sympathy. "Try to find Txema and drive him to office, he must write and sign statement. Hopefully CSI wouldn't find anything strange and we could return you both bodies for funeral soon."

It was Frederick, who in time closed Laura's mouth by his own hand, to prevent her shriek. Girl was almost ready to bite him, but thankful she did not it.

When both men left barn, Laura asked her question:

"So did you kill Bill an Pedro?"

"Later!" repeated Kelly, but Máiréad decided to answer:

"They tried to kidnap me and attacked Grimm, it was a suicide of kind from their side."

"That's not funny!" said Laura a bit angrily. "You really have guts! You just killed two of my relatives and now you ask me to believe you, telling me not even a single word about that!"

"I guess," said Kelly level-headedly. "As an Grimm I simply need to have guts to do my business. We would explain you everything later. Now you have to choose."

"You can either flee with us, or stay here and make some agreement with your pack," nodded Frederick. "No other chance."

"It's not correct," said Kelly. "She could try to flee on her own."

"That's so small chance, that it should not be named as chance," protested Felix. "It's obvious, your mother IS lawyer."

"So your choices?" asked Kelly Coyotl girl again.

"I even do not know your names," protested Laura.

"For case you'd decide to stay here, we'd say it to you only if you decide to come with us," answered Kelly. "In another case you'd better not mention about us to any wesen."

"OK," nodded Laura. "I'll go with you. Will you want to use car?"

"No, Deputy Esselt has access to face recognition system in surveillance footages, so he would found us quickly," shook Kelly his head. "It will be much harder, we must walk to our place on foot."

He pointed to each other, deciding order of leaving place.

XXXXXXX

Brandon Esselt was nearing Cledments's Farm, when he got second phone call from his brother:

"She escaped!" Jeffrey did not need explain, who is 'she'. "Find Txema and try to find her. Anybody, who would be with her, you better kill! I'll try to find her by FRS*, she probably hitchhiked somebody. I must make that demand from my office, but Reck still investigates Bill's and Pedro's death, so nobody should know."

(*FRS – Face Recognition System)

"OK, Jeff," nodded shortly Brandon, who was used to obey his older brother. "I think, Txema loves the last hayloft, I found there several bottles of Tequila."

"Take both shotguns, I hope he's not drunk to shot himself."

"Yup!" agreed Brandon and switched phone off.

XXXXXXX

When leaving Farm, Kelly asked Máiréad to call her mother:

"Call your mum and ask her to organize everything. I'll try to organize some covering fire."

Kelly used his satellite phone to call lieutenant Wu.

"Hi Kelly, what's up?" questioned Wu. "What about your survival test?"

"We just 'interrupted' Aseveración," Kelly lowered his voice. "And head of this Coyotl pack is Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Esselt. Could you block him somehow from using tracking or cameras?"

"I'll do my best, but later we'll have to explain, why we blocked another law-enforcing worker," Wu became serious. "And he would recognize, somebody is after him."

"That's exactly, what doctor prescribed to him," explained Kelly. "He must know, bridges are burned and his only chance is surrender."

"I don't think, he would want to surrender," Wu was a bit more unsure.

"For sure not," agreed Kelly. "Tell my father to meet me at our trailer, we are switching off phones and go there on foot."

"Good luck," wished him Wu. "I just succeed to got access into Sheriff office. Jeffrey Esselt right now withdrew from safe in their office a sniper rifle and hand-held phone-tracking detector, able to track even your fancy satellite phone."

"Good to know," frowned Kelly. "My kingdom for Barrett 107*!"

(* sniper rifle caliber 50 BMG)

"He has just M40*," answered Wu. "I do not know, how good is he in shooting, but my advice is to find really dense forest."

(* sniper rifle caliber 308 winchester)

"OK, ending transmitting," decided Kelly. "Everybody remove batteries from phones. Pursuer has phone-tracking detector and sniper rifle."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	8. Chapter 8 - Run or Fight

Chapter 8 – Run or Fight

Nick sat in trailer and only fact, that Adalind kept him in firm hug, anchored him to marbles. Few moments ago he checked sighting point of riflescope on his own rifle. If that twat would dear to appear in firing range, Nick was ready to finish him without slightest mercy or even warning…

Monroe in turns woged and dewoged, also angry for inability do something useful. Rosalee systematically prepared multifarious healing potions and bandaging, but now she made herself to stay calm, for case she should do same for her husband, as Adalind was doing for Nick. But Monroe was thankfully less predisposed for burst of aimless violent wrath, than Grimm…

Diana lied on couchette, or more precise to say, she levitated few inches over it. She truly was the most important person present there in moment, as she sent her astral projection in search of her half-brother. Now she sometimes made little motions, similar to dreaming cat a little bit…

Hank looked over Wu's shoulder, as Wu piloted drone in anticipated escaping route. They together disputed, whether to ask Sean Rennard to help them with ensuring search helicopter, but they came to conclusion, helicopter would attract attention of pursuers and they could use sniper rifle and kill any of escaping teenagers. Drone could cause similar danger, but on much shorter distance, so risk is lower…

Before they were able to say where to do it, they are unable to do anything to help escapees…

XXXXXXX

"This white nonsense is like banner here in forest," cursed Máiréad, pointing finger on Laura's robe. "I'll better give her my spare clothes, she seems to be of similar size to me…"

"…and my sneakers, not so good in forest like hiking, but spare hiking boots would be really too heavy for my rucksack," added, seeing bare feet of their interim ward girl. "Boys, just give us some privacy, please," her voice became irritated a bit.

Kelly, as well as Frederick and Felix quickly moved to positions to cover whole prospect view. They wisely decided not to say a word.

"I believe, it's high time for you to introduce yourself, as well, as whole group," Laura tried to speak with that strange Luizon girl, who declared herself as Grimm's girlfriend.

"Later!" refused Máiréad. "You evidently are unable to quickly redress and talk in one moment and we really need to hurry away. We have no firearms and your uncle has sniper rifle and official gun as Deputy Sheriff. Even Grimms are not bulletproof."

Seeing Laura having problems with too big sneakers, Máiréad handed her another pair of socks:

"Place it inside, not to let your leg move in."

XXXXXXX

Brandon Esselt found Txema Ramirez in place he expected him to be. Brandon had big bucket with almost ice-cold water and emptied it onto Txema's head.

"WHAT THE F*CK?!" jumped Txema and staggered a bit.

Brandon seized Txema by the collar and gave him a few slaps.

"Your son is dead!" snapped to him. "As well as Bill. Sheriff believes, they killed each other. Maybe he's right, maybe they fought for who will be first with Laura. But Laura escaped. So, go for shotguns and ammo, I'll try to find her scent, what way she escaped. Find me in barn and for God's sake, do something with your stupor, you stink like a skunk."

With these words he left paralyzed Txema and hurried into barn.

XXXXXXX

"What will we do with that robe?" asked Máiréad, once they reunited.

"Grimms collect trophies," answered Kelly. "This is good one. I think, dad has no such in his trailer."

"Trophy?" asked Laura. "Seriously?"

"That's something Grimms have common with serial killers, they love to collect trophies of plentiful kinds," smiled Felix.

"In fact Grimms ARE special sort of serial killers, usually hunting wesen serial killlers," added Frederick. "But Kelly, if it's YOUR trophy, means YOU will carry it in your bag, we are your support team, not your Sherpas."

Kelly laughed and nodded:

"You are right, karma IS a bitch."

He though a little bit and during packing Laura's white robe into his rucksack, he pulled five bars of MRE. He smiled and threw one by one to each of triplets. To Laura he better handed it, he was unsure, how good is she in catching small flying things.

"Eat it!" ordered her, as his friends did not need any invitation.

"What is THAT?!" asked girl with evident disgust.

"MRE, or Meal Ready to Eat," answered Máiréad. "Uncle Sam offers it to his soldiers of his special units," she smiled. "Eat it quickly, not allowing your taste buds to find the REAL taste of it."

"We'll need to hurry," explained Kelly, what was obvious. "You'll need energy for run, as well, as any of us. We could hardly go to pub for snack and you'll better run in full woge."

"And do you really think, Grimm, you can catch running woged Coyotl?" questioned Laura.

Kelly's ugly silent smile gave her answer she did not like at all…

XXXXXXX

Txema tottered up to kitchen. There he ate some instant coffee, hoping it could help him to become more ready. As he was officially working on farm, it was his responsibility to see both Pedro and Bill as well as Laura, to ensure, on evening everything would be prepared.

He knew, his order would be number four, after Jeffrey, Brandon and even Bill, but before Pedro, who was any way weakest male of pack. He ate two more soup-spoons of instant coffee and washed it down with one canned beer, twisting his face because of taste. He decided to ignore Brandon's insults. They both will have shotguns, so maybe, once they will find Laura, things could change by one simple move of pointing finger, or even maybe by two moves…

Txema laughed shortly. He almost forgot about his son's dead, there was almost no father to son responsibility in him, now he imagined, how they both with Laura will move to Mexico, selling this damned place for good. Questioning, whether she wants to do that was something his tequila-washed brain was unable to think over…

XXXXXXX

For Laura it was like a nightmare during daylight. All three Luizons, as she regarded strange group of wesens, acted together with Grimm as well-coordinated military troop. They were able in one moment to run, as well as to observe situation in wide surroundings and watch her. Whenever she was sure 'Now I must fall down and broke my leg or neck,' somebody gave her helping hand to assist her in keeping balance. After some ten or twelve miles they found creek and decided to wade through down the stream.

"Sorry, you will have soaked sneakers and trousers, but we should better cut our scent track," explained young Grimm. "If we were lucky, they lost some time trying to find vehicle we used to flee, but sooner or later they will try to truck us by scent."

Laura was barely able to nod. She was pretty sure, she will die for sure that day. Surprisingly, she found that perspective better, rather than accepting being object of Aseveración, ritualized collective rape.

Creek hollowed not big valley in landscape, so they were hidden for observers from around. They neared to road, creek was directed into drain pipe, big enough to crawl through it to opposite side.

"Perfect," appraised it Grimm, after short reconnaissance of pipe entry. "There was movement sensor, quite a long ago, but it was destroyed, I guess during flood. OK, I go first, you are our rearguard," he pointed to Frederick, who nodded.

Máiréad wordlessly forced Laura to go as second, right after Grimm. Laura felt that strange girl right on her back. After leaving the pipe on opposite side of road they continued wading down the stream for a half of mile or so, up to forest.

Grimm pointed to a hidden glade near the wood margin.

"Five minute break," for Laurta it was in that moment the most welcomed statement he could only make. "I think, now it's time to introduce to you, Laura. My name is Kelly."

"Máiréad." "Frederick." "Felix."

"Fine, now I'm not in so disadvantageous position to you," answered Laura, once she was able to breath freely again. "How is it possible, three Luizons are collaborating with a Grimm, like his hunting dogs or what?"

"First of all," said Kelly. "They are no way my servants, like 'hunting dogs' you named them, our families are friends as long, as I remember."

"Our father met our mother thanks to his father," explained Máiréad. "And we are not Luizons, we are FuchsBluden."

"What!?" Coyotl girl was confused.

"We are triplets, you maybe were able to recognize it," said Felix. "Our mother is Fuchsbau and our father is Blutbad."

"So we're hybrids, or abominations, if you'd wish said so," added Frederick.

"Don't wish so," said Máiréad. "Kelly is really overprotective to whom he considered friend. He's a Grimm and can easily became real danger."

Laura felt extremely exhausted.

"How much longer?!" asked with pain in her voice.

"I guess six or rather seven times more," said Kelly seriously. "Right now we can't got to any help and it's much more probable, your uncles will find us sooner, than my family. Our only chance is in quickness."

Máiréad pulled from her rucksack five bars of MRE and handed it to each one of them. They ate it wordlessly, lost in each other's minds…

XXXXXXX

Brandon found scent of four intruders. He traced their scent, together with Laura's to ladder upstairs and through the window out.

"Brandon, are you here?" Txema finally came with both shotguns into barn.

"Go to the other side, they probably jumped from the window here upstairs," howled Brandon downstairs. "I'll try to go same way."

He jumped through window and sniffed. With smile he recognized all five scents he found in barn.

Txema trudged to him with both shotguns. Brandon grabbed one.

"Ammo?" asked.

Txema handed him ten buckshot shotgun shells.

"Thanks," nodded Brandon. "They seems flew this way."

He showed to nearest forest.

"They?" asked Txema, still a bit out of his mind.

"Three boys or young men, two of them Fuchsbau or something such, one girl of same origin, one boy is probably Kehrsaite, I should inform Jeff too," explained Brandon and called to his brother.

"What?" asked Deputy Esselt, hearing that new. "Three Fuchsbaus and Kehrsaite? Why the f*ck would they release Laura and how the Hell could they only found her?"

"No idea," answered Brandon by truth. He really had never too many ideas. "I'll go on their scent path with Txema. Is it possible, they murdered Bill and Pedro?"

"Off course it's possible," growled Jeffrey. "But, if you catch them, ask no question and kill all three boys. That girl could be a good bonus…"

"OK," agreed Brandon. "Try to check, whether somebody was around and try to identify them."

"Don't teach me to do my work!" Jeffrey was angry, as it was in fact his younger brother, who reminded him to check phones around Farm. "Call me, if you find more, I'll do the same."

Brandon let himself a little bit self-satisfied smile:

"Txema, try to check scent traces here too," ordered. "I might over-smell something."

Txema Ramirez was pissed off, but kneeled down and woged. He sniffed several times and growled:

"That was not Kehrsaite, I think."

Brandon did not say, that according him Txema does not think at all, rather kneeled too and sniffed again.

"For me he smells like a common Kehrsaite."

"No, no, no!" Ramirez lost his temper. "There IS something strange, I just do not know, what it is!"

"OK, any way, we should shot him to kill and after dead he'll lost whatever makes him so strange…"

With these words both men, armed with shotguns, moved on trace after five fugitives…

XXXXXXX

After several miles they needed to use paths surrounded by fields again, but they succeeded to find trace without eyewitnesses and seemingly also without cameras. They dewoged, with exception of Kelly, who was never in woge, off course.

"Now we can't run," explained Kelly obvious. "We must look like more or less normal sightseers. I hope, we are on distance long enough, so nobody would know you personally here, does somebody?"

"No, not here," answered Laura. "Where do you plan to spend night?"

"On way," said Kelly a bit cruelly. "We simply MUST flee, I don't have even popgun. Jeffrey Esselt has sniper rifle and we did not succeed to got even your shotgun."

"There are two shotguns," answered Laura. "I believe, now Brandon Esselt, Jeffrey's brother has one and Txema Ramirez, father of Pedro has second. You're right, now they probably want all us dead."

"That way," showed Felix. "There's touristic route in necessary direction. No people in visual contact."

"Perfect, let's move on," nodded Kelly, who looked like being no way tired. "I hate being here under open air."

All five of them disappear on forest way amongst trees and woged again…

XXXXXXX

Jeffrey Esselt was shocked. His attempts to find something around Farm were blocked and his official phone was dead, evidently remoted switch-off. Attempts to place Laura's face into FRS failed with notice 'Unauthorized Access Denied'. It was self-evident, somebody focused on him to block his activities. Jeffrey was quite sure, it's no way Sheriff Recks, it rather looked like work of Internal Affairs of Portland PD or FBI.

He dialed his brother from his private phone:

"Somebody blocks me from everything, Brandon, did you find anything strange?"

"I found nothing strange, but Txema believes, that's not a common Kehrsaite, that third boy. He doesn't have a clue, who or what could he be, but according him, he's different. Who blocks you, Sheriff Recks?"

"I don't think so," answered Jeffrey. "It must be somebody, who has special access into System, like Internal Affairs or FBI."

"Did you piss FBI somehow in last moments?" asked Brandon. "No… wait… just a moment, somebody told me, in Portland Police there is one Grimm. Could it be action of that Grimm?"

"If there is Portland Grimm cop, he or she would simply come to me and ask for my arresting, Sheriff Recks would hardly have ways to object a lot."

Jeffrey had a think.

"You might be right. I heard some drunken idiots to speak about Portland Grimm, but I took no care. Maybe he or she is not here but his or her son, who is training in being Grimm. That could explain, why he and his hunting dogs are here to give us troubles. If you think it's necessary, kill them all, once you see them and tell me, where are you now?"

It was strange, how close to truth was Deputy Jeffrey Esselt able to approach…

"Close to Burden Farms, with Canby Mullino Road on our back" answered Brandon. "They systematically avoid contacts with people and prefer walking on forest paths. Seems, they want to avoid informing Kehrsaite."

"OK, I guess, I can imagine, where they want to go," said Jeffrey. "Continue in pursue, I'll meet with you soon, I'll try to meet you near Kush Hill Farm."

XXXXXXX

"I think, they are heading somewhere there," showed Jeffrey on tablet into map. "We can get ahead by going there by car. They're clever, but we're cleverer, than they assume."

They met near Kush Hill Farm, where they together confirmed escapees' route on digital map. Jeffrey let Brandon to show him, where they left some scent traces. Jeffrey woged and sniffed to remember all their scents.

"I'll kill you Grimm, for memory of my son, in name of our tradition and for future without self-trustees like you!" promised Jeffrey Esselt into uncaring sky.

Other two men scared on him for a moment, but when Jeffrey leaned backwards and start to howl, they quickly joined him.

XXXXXXX

"It's Jeffrey Esselt!" blurted Laura. "I remember him howling such a way, years ago. It was time my parents were alive and I thought, it was real fun."

"OK," nodded Kelly. "Felix, Frederick, how far are they, what do you think?"

"Less than two miles, we slow down," answered Felix. "We must accelerate."

"We don't have power to accelerate," answered Kelly. "We must simply continue. Acceleration could kill us. Don't panic untimely, now just go!"

XXXXXXX

Farmer John Neubert swore, hearing Jeffrey Esselt and his relatives howling:

"F*cking shi*ty coyotes!"

He brought hunting rifle from cupboard, loaded it and attached searchlight. He found place near his sheep flock, expecting for pests. As no coyote came to his farm, he never met any of our story character and has no more role, we could feel free to forget about farmer Neubert for good…

XXXXXXX

"We are at Alder Creek," reported Felix.

Even on well-trained FoxBluden was visible exhaustion, as well on Grimm. Laura was so tired, that she almost reckoned, she died and now she is in Hell, forced to endless escape…

It was late at night, so late, that it was quite possibly already Sunday in fact. She did not know, from here her saviors are used to reach their place on foot. But off course without being on foot for so long and with so many miles in their foots…

They had no idea, their pursuers are more close, than they think…

XXXXXXX

Jeffrey stopped their car on place, where he considered as possible, the escapees' route will continue.

During night they had some sleeping, as they were able to take turns in watching. They missed less, than sixty yards, from place, where escapees crossed road. Soon in morning Jeffrey sent both Brandon and Txema to search for traces. This time it was Txema, who guided them to fresh trace, made in less, than ten minutes ago.

All three pursuers hit the trail…

XXXXXXX

"So here you are!"

Kelly was a bit shocked, seeing his sister walking in air to him.

"Mom and dad are crazy, as well as uncle Monroe," Diana looked strange, as she usually tend to look.

Laura stared on blond girl, evidently levitating over forest underbrush.

"Who are you?" asked a question.

"I'm Diana and who are you?"

Answer was not said that moment, as it was time, when Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Esselt reached place, from which he observed group of six teenagers, Laura Cledments amongst them.

Two boys in group looked similar to girl, who was pretty near to third boy, who had darker hair and a bit different body posture. He chose him as target, but as he was far from being perfect sniper, he hit that Fuchsbau girl instead of Grimm by his first shot…

"Máiréad!" screamed Kelly and kneeled to girl on ground…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	9. Chapter 9 - Cover Story

Chapter 9 Cover Story

No work is finished, until being settled in papers*…

*Advertisement written on toilette paper

Diana with purple glowing eyes stormed towards firing position. She was within arm's reach in so short time, that Jeffrey Esselt recognized her only in moment, when she snatched sniper rifle from his hands and started push him with that rifle to nearest tree, broking his ribbons as well as stabbing broken branches from that tree into his back. She slowly and painfully pressed life from his body. He tried to fight back, but he was unable to catch Diana's astral projection and to make any harm on it…

Both Brandon Esselt and Txema Ramirez shot from their shotguns into, what they considered to be girl's body, but without slightest effect. Diana ignored them and even did not turn to them.

"Run, you fool!" recommended Txema, who, shotgun still in convulsive clamp, ran to car, just to get hit from Nick's scout rifle.

Pieces of his brain left his smashed skull, however his legs made three more steps, before he fall on ground, dead like a local economy.

Brandon, recognizing, he became last of his pack, started to rave, in kind of berserk madness he ran towards escapees in order to kill at least somebody of them. He never reached effective firing range, as both Wu and Hank hit him by several shots.

XXXXXXX

Kelly, kneeling on ground, tried to place tourniquet to Máiréad's wounds in her chest under her T-shirt. She was still alive, however he perfectly knew, her wound is so devastating, that she had no chance to reach hospital alive. Even with emergency surgeon team her chance to survive was pretty close to zero.

Felix kneeled to him, helping Kelly to lift unconscious girl, his sister. They both knew, she needs a miracle or so, to stay alieve. The only chance was evident for them – either Diana, or Adalind, with possible some support of Rosalee.

Forest was known for them, so they could allow to hurry to trailer.

"What is that girl?" asked Laura to Frederick, accompanying her in quick rush.

"That's Kelly's older sister, Diana," explained Frederick, paying fearful glimpse to his wounded sister. "She is Hexenbiest. Rather Hexenbiest on Hellish testosterones."

"Grimm's sister is Hexenbiest?" Laura was totally confused. "How's that possible?"

"Their mother is Hexenbiest," explained Frederick. "Well, they have two different fathers, but I guess, for girl from Coyotl pack it's not so shocking, I believe, no offense."

Laura wished to snort in scorn, but she had no extra power to do so. Even shaking her head she did only in mental form…

They finally reached small grassy clearing in forest, where Airstream Globetrotter trailer from 1963 was parked, with three cars near. Laura did not recognize model nor year of production of trailer off course, but she was able to recognize, it must be pretty old…

Kelly, embracing Máiréad in hug fell down on knees in both sorrow as well as killing exhaustion.

From trailer moved Diana, now herself, not her astral projection, with Adalind and Rosalee on her heels. All three looked pretty scared.

From forest reached Nick, scout rifle still ready to use, as well as Wu and Hank, who both holstered their guns. Monroe was a bit aside, still in full woge.

"Do something!" demanded Kelly. "She's dying! She can't stay till we reach hospital!"

"Yes," answered his father. "There's something, what should be done. I believe you should."

All them stared on father Grimm, who enter the trailer to reappear few moments later without rifle, but with strange staff, Kelly always remembered it to be in weaponry in trailer. Staff looked like it was broken into many pieces and restored again into one piece.

Nick came to Kelly and handed him the staff:

"Take it!"

Kelly slowly laid Máiréad on ground and accepted that wooden nonsense.

"WHAT?!"

"Kelly," Adalind's voice was extremely serious. "You simply MUST trust us now. This staff is extremely powerful. Your father, as well as I, trust, you should be the one, who will use it in future. Nick did his best to raise you to be fair enough to control power of this staff. Now use that power to heal Máiréad."

Kelly was uncertain, so Monroe added:

"Now there is no time for doubts or uncertainty. Do what you, deep in your heart, wish to do, using this staff. For sake of my daughter, please…"

Kelly nodded and subtly touched Máiréad's chest by that staff. He said no word, just for a few seconds he closed his eyes and wished girl to be alive and healthy, like if she was never wounded. Kelly felt like if he kept living strong python in his hands. But a second later he felt extreme exhaustion, even bigger, than he felt any moment before this time, like all his powers were removed during outflow. In next second he on other hand felt strange energy, streaming in his body as well as in his mind. But this energy was something, what was not his own, just bestowed…

"Kelly, we did it!" Máiréad's voice was enthusiastic. "What is that?" asked girl, seeing Kelly with strange staff in his hands.

In that moment she recognized hole in her T-shirt, flooded in blood, with tourniquet under it.

"I was shot," she said in slightly shocked voice. "Was I dead?"

"Honestly say," answered Kelly. "I'm not sure and I better will never ask."

"WHAT?!" Máiréad was confused.

Kelly lifted staff in his hands a bit:

"This returned you into life. I was pretty sure, without an miracle you will die and my dad passed me that miracle and asked me to do it."

"Seriously?" asked Máiréad. "How's that possible?!"

"Better do not ask too much questions," answered her father, coming closer to them. "Nick, with help of his family, gained it from somebody, or rather to say, something, monster that I can name only as Devil walking on the face of Earth."

"Don't be so dramatic, Monroe," asked Nick. "One day later I will explain you more. But for now it's enough, I believe."

"Máiréad," remembered Adalind something. "If you one day would dream about being shot and feel like the bullet just came through your body…"

"Mom," interrupted her Diana. "That staff is powerful enough to keep Jack or any other evil spirit far away from who is saved by its power."

"Anyway," nodded Adalind, frowning on Diana. "Máiréad, if you feel anything strange, come to me as quickly as it's possible."

"What Jack?" asked Máiréad.

"The Ripper," answered Diana. "Nick believes, he's an evil spirit able to posses somebody to make him kill women, especially professionals."

"Professionals?!" asked Laura.

"Working girls, you know, prostitutes," explained Diana. "And that's no way joke."

"What will we do with bodies of those three idiots?" asked Wo, who was always practical, changing subject of debate. "I guess, Sheriff Reck will miss his Deputy soon."

"I have one idea," said Kelly. "Show me their bodies."

They all moved to place, where three dead bodies were on ground. On way Nick observed Máiréad's T-shirt with holes and blood, he thought a bit and whispered to Kelly:

"Next time you use it, remember also about reparation of clothes," then he laughed in relief.

Kelly shot him an ugly look. But they soon came to place with three dead bodies. Kelly pointed to each of them by staff and all bodies disappeared. Wu pulled his tablet from his handbag. He dabbled something on it and afterwards told:

"You will never believe it!"

"With this stuff I'd believe anything," growled Hank. "What's up?!

"These three idiots, according official D-base, died this night during traffic accident, being drunken, each of them with at least one per mille of spirit in blood."

"Good, but to whom we had shot that way?" asked Nick.

"I guess, into some kind of spectre," answered Monroe.

"Laura," said Diana. "Would you wish to remember everything? If no, I could erase part of your memory, so you'd know, you escaped from your uncles, but you'd not be involved with Grimms and similar dangerous issues."

"No, I want be a part of it," shook Laura her head. "Now I'll be owner of Farm soon, you guys could have there one training base camp. My farm would be protected by Grimms that way…"

"That's perfect," laughed Wu. "Now we must just call to Sheriff Recks to report him about attempt to rape you avoided. As all suspects are dead, I'll recommend Sheriff to close the case and seal the file as case with underage victim. That way probably nobody will ever open it to check that file and make troubles to any of us. We must explain him, that in another case he would face problems himself, once his subordinate was leader of rapist group, what a shame! By the way, are your aunt Margaret Batoulis and her daughter also Coyotles?"

"Yea, they are," nodded Laura. "Should I call her to ask her for help?"

"Better not," answered Wu. "Now we must convince Sheriff Recks, you're no way involved in death of your relatives and we'll not say him anything about Grimms, Wesens and other similar problems, you'd better tell him, they wanted to rape you in order to make you pregnant, so you'll be forced to give a birth and you'd not expel father of your kid from Farm."

"That's exactly, what Jeffrey Esselt told me, once tied me in barn," nodded Laura again.

"Right, that way it could work, but we must show him all the group, so you'll need to change you T-shirt, Máiréad," Nick started preparing plot.

"You can have one of my spare from rucksack," said Kelly. "By the way, dad, I have my first Grimm's Trophy."

"What kind of trophy?" asked Nick.

"Her white robe for Aseveración ritual, I guess, you don't have one in your trailer," smiled Kelly.

Adalind laughed. When Nick looked on her she explained him:

"Don't even dare about thinking to purchase your own. One is enough and he, as single yet, can collect such kind of trophies. If you'd do so, you'd go sleep without dinner and without you-know-what."

They returned to trailer. Diana levitated Kelly's rucksack into, when Kelly decided to follow his rucksack, Diana stopped him:

"No boys allowed."

She pointed on Laura, ordering her that way to go inside. Máiréad did not need any invitation, she was used to spend her time inside, reading in Grimm books.

"So, here Grimms study us," said Laura, observing plenty of books, as well as computer equipment.

"Sure," nodded Máiréad, looked for proper book and opened in on page with illustration of quite embarrassingly known Aseveración ritual.

Laura shook herself a bit and covered her arms by hands, feeling cold…

Máiréad opened Kelly's rucksack and rake it over.

"This one!" she decided and showed T-shirt to other girls.

"Definitely this one," nodded Laura, seeing transfer where pit-bull with baseball bat looked with angry facial expression and by big letters there was written 'ANY QUESTION?'.

Máiréad dressed out her T-shirt and removed tourniquet, as well as blood from her skin, using cold water and paper tissue.

"Not even scar," nodded with satisfaction.

They all three left trailer and Máiréad's choice provoked laughing.

Kelly wordlessly returned staff into weaponry in trailer.

"OK, Laura, get prepared please, calling to Sheriff Recks right now," said Wu, running Skype…

XXXXXXX

Sheriff Recks was angry. He just finished phone call with Margaret Batoulis, who denied that Laura Cledments was this weekend at her place. He did not see reason, why his Deputy lied him, as well he did not see that reason for Ms Batoulis.

Demand for Skype connection from Portland Police was strange, Sheriff hoped for no more cock-up. Well, this hope was not fulfilled.

"It's Lieutenant Drew Wu, Portland Police, speaking," said Wu, showing his badge to camera sightline. "I have here somebody, who wishes to take legal action against some persons in your jurisdiction. There is a bit problem, all these persons are dead."

"Who's that person?" asked Sheriff with suspicion, he already knew the right answer.

"It's me, Laura Cledments. I want to make accusation against your Deputy Jeffrey Esselt, his son Bill, his brother Brandon, as well as against both Txema and Pedro Ramirezes. They prepared gang rape, in order to make me pregnant, so I would not expel them from my Farm, once being in age of majority. Jeffrey told me that, when they chained me in barn. They said, it's our family rite of passage."

Sheriff Recks remembered, how strange was that barn decorated. He shook his head, but he had a 'flash of memory', when he remembered strange feeling, like his Deputy is making ready to kill him. In fact, that impression was lost, once Jeffrey Esselt observed, ropes are empty, nobody is tied in them.

"That's serious accusation, they're all death, so they can't defend themselves."

Sheriff looked on Laura and on Lieutenant Wu for several moments.

"You're not in your office, Lieutenant, it seems looks like an forest."

"Yup, Sheriff, we are in forest, eastward from Portland," answered Wu. "Son of my colleague in work, Kelly Burkhardt, informed me, he thwarted gang raping and asked me to block Deputy Esselt's access to search system. I decided to trust his judgment and I did so."

"Really?" asked Sheriff in disbelief. "Son of your colleague in work…"

"It's me, Kelly Burkhardt, I was with my friends on forest hiking, but we decided to buy some apples or other fruits in Cledments Farm," explained Kelly. "I heard screaming for help, so we came to barn and released there Laura Cledments. When we asked her, she told us horror story about her relatives wanted to violate her, so we decided to flee to place I considered safe."

"Really?" Sheriff somehow took a fancy to use that word.

"Really," nodded Kelly. "We decided, you'd probably rather trust your Deputy, than group of teenagers, so we made and circle to go walking from Cledments Farm here, into middle of forest, where we met our friends as support. As we had no weapon with us, we had to flee, according Miss Cledments, Jeffrey Esselt would kill us, if being confronted with this his intention."

Kelly smiled a bit:

"I also thought, this would make no harm. If this accusation is false, an independent court authority would sweep it aside. And any legal action could be done from safe distance from Deputy Esselt."

"Did you really believe such a wild story?" Sheriff Recks was not convinced.

"Sheriff Recks," entered Nick discussion. "I'm Detective-Lieutenant Nicholas Burkhardt. I solved years ago case, when Hayden Walker with sons kidnapped daughter of his sister and wanted to do the same brutal gang rape, like Jeffrey Esselt now. You can read papers of that case. I guess, ancestors of these two families came from same perverted sect or cult. There was same decoration, like copy-cat in both cases. That seems to me as no coincidence, there's at least same M.O.. So I guess, my son was right in his judgment and decisions."

"Sending pictures," said Wu and sent to Sheriff's address photos Kelly and Máiréad made.

"OK, OK," said Sheriff, seeing pictures. "Mr. Burkhardt junior, you said, you were there together with a group of your friends. Could they confirm your testimony?"

"Sure," all three triplets showed in camera sightline. "Máiréad Calvert." "Frederick Calvert." "Felix Calvert."

"So you were with Kelly Burkhardt at Cledments Farm, right?"

"Yea," nodded Máiréad. "I was in barn and together with Kelly we released Laura. My brothers were on rearguard to inform us, if somebody would try to attack us. That screaming for help could be just bait to attract us into a trap."

"Laura, you was in white robe, according these photos, so how is it possible, you are in normal clothes," Sheriff tried to find mistakes in strange story.

"I borrowed her my spare clothes," explained Máiréad.

"I decided to throw that robe, when we were on run," said Laura, deciding left it as Kelly's trophy. "Uncle Jeff and others forced me to wear it and I hate even the idea of keeping it."

Sheriff Recks stared in disbelief. For him it was like his entire world broke apart. His Deputy was possibly perverted criminal, as well as rest of male members of his family. Group of teenagers decided to legal self-help, rather than inform hiss office, that sucks…

"I understand your disbelief and disappointment," said Wu. "Jeffrey Esselt worked for you as your Deputy for more, than five years. But, there is fact, that should not be ignored. Both Jeffrey Esselt and Txema Rodriguez were widowers, but Brandon Esselt's ex-wife is still alive and you can ask her, whether this story is based on truth, or not. Just tell her, Laura Cledments is suspect, as story she reports to you is simply impossible to be believed. I believe, Margaret Batoulis came through same ritual gang rape. Her daughter is less, than eighteen years younger, than her mother."

"That doesn't prove anything," objected Sheriff Recks. "A lot of girls become pregnant before being eighteen. And even if it's truth, she may refuse to testify, either because of being ashamed, or she could simply refuse to remember it again."

Sheriff for a moment paused.

"And there is possibility, it was conspiracy between Laura Cledments and Margaret Batoulis, in order to free themselves from Brandon, as well as Jeff and Txema," he added.

"Last time I spoke with aunt Margaret was more, than three months ago," blurted Laura. "Even when my parents died, she only sent me a letter of sympathy."

"OK, what is your suggestion to do, Detective Burkhardt and Lieutenant Wu?" asked Sheriff.

"Call Margaret Batoulis and ask her about her seventeen," recommended Nick. "If Laura's story gets confirmed, you could close the case, as there's nobody to be charged with anything. As victim is of young age, file could be sealed, to avoid public discussing of that shame. Whoever would wish to open that case again would be sworn to secrecy."

"OK," nodded Sheriff. "If CSI reports would not contain anything suspicious, I'll close the file as you recommended me. I guess, you have contacts for Margaret Batoulis, so give me half of an hour, before you'll call her. Laura could ask her to be her curator till her eighteen."

"So, good bye, Sheriff," nodded Wu.

"Sorry for mess we made, but it was not our fault," said Kelly.

-You could hardly imagine the mess Deputy Esselt could made with sniper rifle,- thought silently Sheriff Recks. That wild story could explain a mystery, why Esselts had sniper rifle and shotguns in their car in time of car crush. It would be terrible shame, if his Deputy succeeded to kill any of those teenagers. Sheriff was sure, in such a case he would face charge for incompetence…

"Good bye, Lieutenant," answered Sheriff Recks and finished transmission.

XXXXXXX

Margaret Batoulis was surprised, Sheriff Recks contacted her again:

"Sheriff, what can I do for you?"

"I suspect Laura to be involved somehow in death of Bill Esselt and Pedro Rodriguez. She told me such a wild story about my Deputy. She said, he, together with other relatives of her family, wanted to rape her. They also wanted to embezzle her property. She said me, you were raped same way as they wanted to rape her. According her also in age of seventeen."

"You really don't expect me to answer that question," brusquely answered Margaret Batoulis.

"In such a case, I have no other way, but to accuse Laura for manslaughter, maybe even murder."

"OK," answered Margaret. "Yes, it was in my age of seventeen."

"Was Brandon Esselt somehow involved in that gang rape?"

"Yea, as well as his brother Jeff," said Margaret. "When I delivered Lilly, I asked DNA paternity test to be made. According that test Brandon was her father, so I asked him to merry me to help me with ensuring our daughter. Brandon was not so bad man. If only his brother Jeff wouldn't come more and more often. Brandon always did, what Jeff told him to do. I'd better decided to divorce, to protect my daughter from same destiny."

"Why didn't you protect also Laura?" questioned Sheriff.

"Jeffrey told me, if somebody is after him, we with Lilly would get killed. He said – 'even anonymous snitch could come only from you'. I'm not she-hero. So I sacrificed Laura in order to use that time for making funds for escape with Lilly."

"Does death of any of those men anyhow affect your situation?" asked Sheriff.

"In fact yes," answered Margaret. "I do not need to flee anymore. I could make a deal with Laura, she will need a curator, at least for this next year. So I could maneuver her into assuring me and my daughter. I could work as administrator on Cledments' Farm."

"OK," said Sheriff. "Was that rape somehow strange? According one police detective, there was a very strange decoration and it had ritualized form."

"That detective was right," said Margaret. "They told me, that's family tradition, so they chained me between two trees and over my head they placed banner with picture of Fertility Goddess…" depicted old case with pain in voice.

As her description answered to photos Lieutenant Wu sent to him, Sheriff decided:

"I'll close this case as attempt of rape, with all suspects dead. As victim is of young age, file will be sealed. I'll recommend you as Laura's curator, as it's a question of one last year, authorities would probably do no problems, I believe. Good bye and good luck."

"Good bye, Sheriff, see you later," said Margaret.

XXXXXXX

Wu called to Margaret Batoulis to inform her.

"Sheriff Recks just informed me," answered Laura's aunt. "I could come to pick Laura up and drive her home."

Rosalee gesticulated on Wu to give her phone.

"Ms Batoulis, I'm Rosalee Calvert. My children with their friend found your nephew and decided to free her. Laura is with us now, we can meet in our shop. It's 'Exotic Spice and Tea', 402 North Western Fulton Street in Portland."

"I could be there in five hours," said Margaret. "Does it comply for you?"

"We're good with that," Rosalee smiled. "See you soon."

Wu asked for his phone again:

"It's Lieutenant Wu again. Will you agree if Laura stays till you pick her up with her saviors? I'll have to return to precinct to finish paperwork regarding this case."

"I guess, it's OK," answered Margaret. "Thank you all for helping my nephew."

XXXXXXX

On the way to 'Spice and Tea' Nick handed to Kelly his schoolbag.

"You better use that time to finish your homework, tomorrow you should go normally to school. It's time for you to get used, that Grimm work doesn't usually include vacation or bonus reward."

Adalind laughed.

"Darling, you're no way bonus," smiled Nick. "I'm really happy to have you here with me. But it was pretty far from normal understanding of, what bonus is."

XXXXXXX

Sheriff Recks reviewed Detective Nicholas Burkhardt's cases. It was pretty impressive, but after brief reading he understood, how it was possible, Kelly Burkhardt solved that case that way. He evidently intended to 'grow up to his father's boots' and he inherited his father's mind, both analytic and unconventional. Detective Burkhardt solved a lot of crimes. In many times there were either feigned animal or even monster attacks, or attackers worn in animal or creepy masks. It almost looked like his specialization was weird and likely unnatural cases, rather than usual 'Jack killed Jill because of Jim', however cases in many times resulted in such kind of explanation. With his partner they acted like kind of adult version of Scooby Gang.

"Good luck, Burkhardts," whispered Sheriff, closing file about Diamond Lake monster with head shake. "Good to have you here, but I hope, I'll need you never more…"

XXXXXXX

When Margaret Batoulis entered 'Spice and Tea', she felt the strange atmosphere of place. Lilly looked around, charmed by strange magic of place.

"Auntie Maggie, nice to have you here," invited her Laura. "Meet my new friends."

"Nice to meet you, Ms Batoulis," said Rosalee and woged.

Her husband, as well as their children and Adalind woged too. Diana let her eyes shine and Nick with Kelly simply observed incomers.

Lilly kept Margaret's hand in shock.

"Mom, they are…"

"Grimms," whispered Margaret.

"Yup, auntie, Grimms," said Laura with smile. "This young Grimm and his friends saved me. So I decided, they are always welcomed on my Farm. We'll have to arrange our living together. For authorities you could be my curator, but in Farm, I'm the leader. Farm will need administrator, as family member you're welcomed on that position. I believe, you can ensure current functioning of Farm far better, than uncle Jeff and Txema. But do never forget, I'm the head. Or would you wish to duel for it?"

"No, I think, we with Lilly could easily accept your rules," nodded Margaret. "Will it mean, we have protection by Grimms?"

"I believe so," nodded Laura. "As there is nothing gratis, we should offer them place for training their special abilities."

"Grimm drill camp?" asked Lilly. "Sounds cool."

Everybody starred on younger girl, who out of the blue without any fear and with smile looked for worst wesen nightmare.

"Is that Grimm single?" asked Lilly.

"He's of mine, puppy," growled Máiréad and bared her teeth.

"And this one?" questioned Lilly without fear, pointing on Felix.

"WHAT?" sound of disbelief was noisy.

"What does that mean?" asked Margaret her daughter.

"Mum, you told, somebody saved Laura from Aseveración without need to left everything on her back. So I decided to arrange my personal savior on my own in advance."

Margaret stared at her wordlessly for a moment.

"So, it will be the arrangement. Everything upside down?" asked.

"Get used," recommended her Rosalee. "My husband is Blutbad, I'm Fuchsbau. World is changing and these very special Grimms work on it."

"OK," nodded finally Margaret. "So almost nothing will be, as it was…"

XXXXXXX

Kelly was yawning almost whole Monday. Leaving school he almost collided with wesen girls trio.

"So, our Big Bad Grimm is tired," smiled Dona. "Hard weekend?"

"You have no idea," answered Kelly with involuntary smile. "You have no idea."

Outside of school building group of his friends invited him. For his surprise, even Laura Cledments and Lilly Batoulis were there too.

"It's her?" asked Máiréad, pointing on Dona. "She smells like Klaustreich. Hi, kitten!"

Dona stared in shock for Máiréad's small woge, but second later she woged back. Kelly hoped, it's only small woge. Hannah and Francine woged too.

"So Grimm has his own hunting dogs pack," grimaced Musai. "But they are only puppies yet."

"Don't try to get me pissed," recommended Kelly. "Never more. You could be successful."

With these words he accepted being surrounded by 'his pack' and left for Spice and Tea…

XXXXXXX

"You owe me the story of that staff," said Kelly a few months later, when there remained some free time and his father seemed to be in talkative mood.

Nick looked on him and nodded.

"Everything started in thirteen century, during Fourth Crusade, when Constantinople was plundered by crusaders. Amongst them were our ancestors, Grimms like we are…" he started to narrate the story…

THE END

Author's Postscript:

On this place story ends, as it could continue, how we know it from "The End" of Series 6.

I am glad, that I succeed to write it before Christmas time, so I can wish to all readers have a blessed time, when our western Christian churches celebrate time, when Jesus was born. So, merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all, Grimmsters!

I perfectly know, my English is far from being perfect, so if anybody feels himself or herself in need to rewrite this story or any other story I wrote and place here or on other website, feel free to do it. I would only wish the plot to be preserved…

Good Bye and Good Luck to you all!


End file.
